24 Years, 24 Tributes
by LadyCordeliaStuart
Summary: The 24th Hunger Games. An SYOT. Filled
1. Introduction

Hey everyone! I had so much fun writing my last Hunger Games fanfic I decided to do an SYOT! It sounds like so much fun to do such a social sort of story. If you want to submit a tribute, here's some guidelines:

1\. Send in as many as you want. By all means, send in one tribute who might actually win and one bonehead who will get himself killed the first day. Remember, not every tribute is competent. Think of that girl from The Hunger Games that lit a fire in the middle of the night.

2\. I'm a sucker for underdog stories, so if you send in a Career they probably won't win. Also, this is early in the Games, and I figure the Careers have just started, so they don't have generations of entrenched mentality. They're not nearly as organized as the ones Katniss dealt with.

3\. In the actual Hunger Games books, it's clear that it isn't always the best tribute that wins. Katniss and Johanna fought their way to their wins, but the morphlings from 6 hid out until everyone else was dead and Annie happened to have a watery arena. Don't worry too much about making your tributes tough. That will give them an edge, but anything can happen in the Games.

4\. It's also established in the books that more tributes die of natural causes than other tributes, so expect some unspectacular deaths.

Tribute information:

There are no hard rules. Stuff you might want to list includes:

Name, Age and District (okay, that's a pretty hard rule)

Appearance

Strengths and Weaknesses

Parade and Interview Outfits (I'm a little lazy, so you might want to provide one. Remember, most stylists are dull or outlandish. It's okay if your outfit is lame)

Personality

Strategy- Hide till it's over? Fight?

Confidence- there's always that one kid from 11 or something that charges into the bloodbath and dies

Training Score- I'll take anything, but try to be realistic

Allying or going it alone

How far you think they'll make it- it won't determine how far they do, but if you send in a Bloodbath that would be helpful. Model it after someone you hate or something

I'll leave this up for a while and see how many people respond. Once they stop entering, I'll fill the rest of the slots with Bloodbath tributes I make up and we'll go from there. Hope you have fun!

Anything else you deem interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Another updated list of tributes!**

**For the most part I picked the first tribute submitted for a slot. If your tribute was the first and he or she isn't there, it's because you submitted more than one, so I used all the tributes unless someone else only submitted one and that one overlapped. Everyone who submitted is on here except one guy. Two people submitted one tribute and they were both for the District 1 male, but one submitted a bloodbath so I assumed he or she wasn't very attached to that character. So far I only have one person who submitted a tribute and isn't in. I already had the two from 3 slotted when a guest submitted two 3 tributes. If you want you can either tweak them and change their districts or submit new tributes. Here's the list I have so far. **

**1:**

**Royal Spinel (male)**

Valencia Widad

**2:**

**Thompson Kiersten (Male)**

**Venus Lorieta (female)**

**3:**

**Hailey Falkenrath (female)**

**Spencer Wire (male)**

**4:**

**Celestial Yeager (female)**

**Dane Verity (male)**

**5:**

**Daniel Mondins (male)**

**Sarla Mondins (female)**

**6: **

**Astra Quill (female)**

**Harvey Willis (male)**

**7: **

**Timber Jones (male)**

**Ever Fellows (female)**

**8:**

**Alayzea Mont**

**Caldwell Brax**

**9: **

**Heidi Garrett (female)**

**Miller Thresher (male)**

**10:**

**Jean Roberts (male)**

**Bree Maeberry (female)**

**11:**

**Peppermint Wilson**

**Apollo Wilson**

**12:**

**Aspen Matthews (male)**

**Valerie Fallow (female)**

**If I totally forgot your tribute and you only sent one, please PM me and let me know. I get absentminded.**

That's everyone, folks! I'll get to work on the District 1 reapings.

**Sponsorships: I'd be willing to try a point system with reviews and such. Only thing is you guys will have to remind me in your reviews, because I have literally forgotten my age more than once. My short-term memory is the pits. I'll work on the particulars and post in next chapter.**

**One more thing: If you have any lines or anything you want in t****he interview section, you can send that in. Otherwise they'll be pretty similar. If you have any ideas for district escorts, send them in too! If I try to make 12 OCs, they're all going to look the same. District 10 has an escort since my last Hunger Games fanfic, which was the 23rd games, had an escort I made. He and my previous winner will be in this story, but they won't be that big a part. My previous winner was from 10, so you two that submitted 10 tributes... you might want to prepare. If you want to read that story (though it totally isn't required to understand this one), it's called Tyger Tyger: The Twenty-Third Hunger Games.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Another updated list of tributes!**

**For the most part I picked the first tribute submitted for a slot. If your tribute was the first and he or she isn't there, it's because you submitted more than one, so I used all the tributes unless someone else only submitted one and that one overlapped. Everyone who submitted is on here except one guy. Two people submitted one tribute and they were both for the District 1 male, but one submitted a bloodbath so I assumed he or she wasn't very attached to that character. So far I only have one person who submitted a tribute and isn't in. I already had the two from 3 slotted when a guest submitted two 3 tributes. If you want you can either tweak them and change their districts or submit new tributes. Here's the list I have so far. **

**1:**

**Royal Spinel (male)**

**Venus Lorieta**

**2:**

**Thompson Kiersten (Male)**

**Valencia Widad (female)**

**3:**

**Hailey Falkenrath (female)**

**Spencer Wire (male)**

**4:**

**Celestial Yeager (female)**

**Dane Verity (male)**

**5:**

**Daniel Mondins (male)**

**Sarla Mondins (female)**

**6: **

**Astra Quill (female)**

**Harvey Willis (male)**

**7: **

**Timber Jones (male)**

**Ever Fellows (female)**

**8:**

**Alayzea Mont**

**Caldwell Brax**

**9: **

**Heidi Garrett (female)**

**Miller Thresher (male)**

**10:**

**Jean Roberts (male)**

**Bree Maeberry (female)**

**11:**

**Peppermint Wilson**

**Apollo Wilson**

**12:**

**Aspen Matthews (male)**

**Valerie Fallow (female)**

**If I totally forgot your tribute and you only sent one, please PM me and let me know. I get absentminded.**

That's everyone, folks! I'll get to work on the District 1 reapings.

**Sponsorships: I'd be willing to try a point system with reviews and such. Only thing is you guys will have to remind me in your reviews, because I have literally forgotten my age more than once. My short-term memory is the pits. I'll work on the particulars and post in next chapter.**

**One more thing: If you have any lines or anything you want in t****he interview section, you can send that in. Otherwise they'll be pretty similar. If you have any ideas for district escorts, send them in too! If I try to make 12 OCs, they're all going to look the same. District 10 has an escort since my last Hunger Games fanfic, which was the 23rd games, had an escort I made. He and my previous winner will be in this story, but they won't be that big a part. My previous winner was from 10, so you two that submitted 10 tributes... you might want to prepare. If you want to read that story (though it totally isn't required to understand this one), it's called Tyger Tyger: The Twenty-Third Hunger Games.**


	4. Sponsorship information

**Here's the sponsorship system I was thinking of. It's not rock solid but unless I change it before the story starts it's what we'll go with.**

**Everyone with a tribute gets 10 base points per tribute in the game.**

**I don't want to be vain, so following and favoriting don't get points. That way if I stink you don't have to butter me up.**

**Reviews are a point each. I don't care about length or depth as long as it's not something totally stupid like "cool".**

**Items:**

**Basically 1 meal is 1 point. I figure the Gamemakers wouldn't make fancy food cost much more since in the Arena, survival's all that matters. All meals will be considered roughly the same nutritionally unless you send a morale-based food like cake. A meal would consist of something like a pack of jerky or a can of fruit. If you send something fancy like a plate of sushi, I'll assume it has roughly the same calories as the no-frills food unless you specify you want more and then we can negotiate price.**

**A day's worth of water is five points, bottle included. If you just want to send the bottle you can throw in some little thing like a ball of string or a compass and it will be one point. Iodine tablets are seven points and will be enough to last the Games.**

**Instead of matches, let's be more practical and just say a firestarting flint-and-steel tool is 3 points. It's a double-edged sword anyway because it invites attack.**

**Survival items range from 1 point for a pair of thin gloves to 15 or so points for a tent. Tell me what you want to send and I'll affix a price.**

**Weapons have a similar range of 1 point for a sharp stick to 15-20 points for a blowgun or bow and arrow or something.**

**Other items are all negotiable and you can send anything you want for enough points. Tell me what it is and we'll negotiate.**

**If your tribute or tributes die, congratulations! You are now a rich citizen of Panem and can sponsor other tributes. Just don't go crazy and try to send someone a tank or something. You can pick a new favorite and make their life a little easier with food or clothes.**

**If we start the Games and this system turns out to be either way too hard or way too easy, I'll adjust it.**

**Notes with gifts are fine. I think basically use your common sense. A note like "Yo, if you want to find food, try peeling the bark of a common yew and boiling for three minutes" is not a good note. A note like "stay on guard" or "cover is better at night" is good.**

**I think the list looks like this:**

Thepencilunleashed-2 reviews, 2 tributes (22 points)

ItsCatWorld- 2 reviews, 2 tributes (22 points)

FalknerBlue- 1 review, 1 tribute (11 points)

Stellaslomp-1 review, 1 tribute (11 points)

AsgardianGrizzly- 2 reviews, 1 tribute (12 points)

Vhagor- 1 review, 2 tributes (21 points)

UltimateMaxmericaShipper- 2 reviews, 2 tributes (22 points)

Grandprincessanastasiaromanov5- 1 review (1 point)

Kkfanatic- 3 tributes, 1 review- (31 points)

Xpoptarts- 1 tribute- 10 points

Dakota77- 1 tribute- 10 points

MizBooklover9- 1 tribute- 10 points

Hollyhobbit- 1 tribute- 10 points

SeungriPanda98- 4 tributes- 40 points

Gorillaface345- 1 tribute, 2 reviews (12 points)

**If I messed up your points or missed you, send me a line. It's going to happen at some point.**


	5. District 1 Reaping

**Here's the first real chapter! Let it begin.**

Valencia POV:

It was Reaping Day. Finally- I'd been waiting for this day for ages. Not that I intended to volunteer. The Hunger Games were _not _for me. They were dirty and gross and I was already rich and beautiful. Why would I need that?

The reason I loved Reaping Day was that it was a perfect excuse for everyone in District 1 to see me, and I didn't intend to disappoint. In honor of this most glorious occasion, I was wearing a blood-red dress that hugged all the right curves and included a high slit to expose my slender legs. Shiny black leather stilettos turned my feet into deadly knives, and dramatic black eyeliner framed my piercing green eyes. This _was _District 1, after all- the luxury district. I planned to be the most luxurious of all.

I took my place with the other seventeen-year-olds just as the speech was drawing to a close. A lady had to be fashionably late, after all. I was careful to stand at the end of a row so all the passers could enjoy the view. Some bimbo I couldn't care enough about to recognize walked onto the stage. She was wearing a bombastic orange ball gown. It _was _eye-catching, but it couldn't hold a candle to me.

"Ladies first! And may the odds be ever in your favor," she said as she approached the name bowl. She dipped her hand in.

"Valencia Widad!" she read.

_Oh, _I thought. I checked my nails and walked to the stage.

Someone would volunteer anyway. That group of nuts that called themselves the "Careers" were probably chomping at the bits.

"Do we have any volunteers?" the escort called.

No one answered.

_That was unexpected, _I thought. _Guess I'd better come up with a strategy._

The escort dipped her hand into the ball with the boys' names.

"Chisel Amaranth!"

A pudgy boy walked onstage and took his place next to me.

_Ick, _I thought. _I have to associate with _that_?_

"Do we have any volunteers?" the escort asked.

"I volunteer!" a deep voice answered. A tall, tightly muscular boy strode onto the stage. He was a much better view than the last doughball.

_Now _that's _what I'm talking about. I can work with this, _I thought.

"Let's have your name," the escort asked him.

"Royal Spinel," he replied.

I waited until he glanced my way, then smiled shyly and looked away, fluttering my eyelashes slightly. What was a poor little girl like me going to do against such a big handsome man?

_Well, well, well, Royal. I think we're going to be very good friends._

* * *

Royal POV

I was a little surprised when none of the girls volunteered. There were a handful from the new training academy I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. It would only make it easier for me to win, though.

I took a glance at the girl who stood beside me on the stage. She whipped aside like I'd caught her drooling over me.

_You think I'm that easy? Girl, I have more important things to do than neck._

I was one of the top students at the new Academy in District 1. I figured if we were stuck fighting each other like animals, we might as well win. Survival of the fittest. Nothing personal. I knew how to use everything from a mace to a rapier. I preferred the spear most of all. It was short enough to retain control and long enough to keep my enemy at a safe distance. Once the Games began, I'd find myself a spear and that would be that. I'd head back home and enjoy the booty.

Our escort, Philomena Puff, grabbed our hands and hoisted them up in the air.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Valencia Widad and Royal Spinel!"

The crowd applauded. I went over my plan.

_Outlast everyone, win the Games, go home, _I thought. _Oh, I suppose the other Careers will want an alliance. Yeah, with Valencia on my side I'll be unstoppable, _I thought sarcastically.

At least she wasn't a threat. I wasn't about to dismiss the other tributes as nothing but spear fodder, but Valencia would probably faint if she broke a nail.

Although… there might be some upsides. If I kept her around she'd be the easier target, and I could either retreat or attack while her assailant was occupied. And she wasn't hard on the eyes. Might as well improve the scenery a bit.

I looked over at her again and smiled slightly.

_All right, Valencia. Let's see what you got. This is the Hunger Games. What's wrong with a couple of rides?_


	6. District 2 Reaping

Thompson POV:

_Let's get this party started._

Most kids in Panem are terrified of the Reapings. Me, I was raring to rip. It was the ultimate party, and I knew parties.

My father owned the District 2 training Academy, and as soon as I was old enough I stood to be a very wealthy young man. Not that that would change anything- I was already a very wealthy young man. And I wouldn't even need his Academy if I wasn't. Once I won the Games, I'd be even richer than he was.

I'd been training for this since I learned to walk. With my breeding and funds, I had my pick of any of the best instructors in the District, and soon enough I knew everything there was to know about winning the Games. I didn't neglect the more mannerly areas, either- I knew the finer things in life, and I intended to get them.

I was known district-wide as the man to see if you wanted a good time. I had the means to provide it, the disposal to want to, and the attractiveness to gain followers. If it was a nice day out, it was time for a joyride in one of my father's hot rods. If it turned rainy, no problem- we'd head inside my mansion and hit up the bowling alley in the basement. Whoever said money can't buy happiness obviously didn't have enough.

I wasn't the slightest bit afraid of being Reaped. Why? I planned to volunteer. I watched as our escort, Ijolite Bust, swept onstage in a stunning peacock gown with a train that reached the edge of the stage even as she stood in the middle by the bowls. With a name like that and her siren looks, I was sure she'd heard every dirty joke in the book. I know I'd told at least half of them.

She reached her slender fingers into the bowl and unfolded a slip of paper.

"Ruby Lancet!" she announced.

"I volunteer!" a girl's voice responded before "Ruby" could even step out of line. A nice little piece with black hair and blue eyes leapt onto the stage. I winked at her, but she just stared ahead.

_You'll change your tune, honey, _I thought. _I'll have you singing to the angels._

I grabbed Ijolite's hand and reached for the sky. With my other hand I blew a kiss at the crowd. I saw my girlfriend Granite gasp and scream. My girlfriend Letitia blushed and looked away. My girlfriend Vespa clasped her hands over her heart and squealed. With my flawless physique and simmering good looks, I had my pick of the girls. And I picked and picked and picked. I treated them nice, too. With all this money, might as well buy a few pretty things for the ladies, right? Makes them all the more eager to take them off. I did a double take when one of the boys screamed "I love you too, Thompson!", but the moment was saved by another girl who sweetened the view entirely by lifting her shirt over her head.

I took in the glorious sight and grinned. This was only the beginning.

* * *

Valencia POV:

_ For close range fighting, get the longest weapon you can. Long range? Throwing knives all the way. Run at the Cornucopia at an angle. There will be a crowd at the front._

All these thoughts and more ran through my head as I waited for Ijolite. It didn't matter who she picked. This was my year. I'd made sure all the other kids knew what would happen if they got in the way.

In District 2, there were plenty of girls my age who knew how to fight. The Games had been around 24 years, and we knew what it took to stay alive. The training Academy had proven to be worth every penny, and District 2 already had twice the number of winners of any other district. However, those girls were in it to live. I was in it to kill.

It wasn't that I was a maniac. I didn't just run around cutting people down. It's just what my father always told me. "Never start a fight unless you're ready to destroy your opponent". He wasn't young enough to have fought in the Games, but he was the head instructor at the Academy. Even the Victors didn't piss him off. And I was ready. The kids from the outlying districts that got reaped would sort themselves out. I was here to show the other "Careers" what it meant to be a killer. Not a winner. Not a survivor. Not a champion to be surrounded by fans and showered with adoration. A killer who would end anyone who got in her way and watch the life bleed from their bodies not with fear, and not with pleasure, but with nothing at all.

Ijolite called out a name.

"I volunteer!" I shouted. I walked to the stage and stood beside Thompson. I knew him, of course. There wasn't a soul in 1 who didn't. I didn't associate with him. He was a vapid, showboating idiot. Who did he think he was, volunteering when I knew he couldn't so much as hit the ground with a spear? I saw him in the Academy now and then, flailing around with weapons with his entourage of drooling fans cheering him on. He wasn't worth my time, and he wasn't worth the energy it took to kill him.

I felt Thompson's leer and ignored him. Let him have his fun. He'd be dead in a few days anyway. He winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

_That's one of my allies, _I thought with disgust. _For Panem's sake, I hope the rest aren't completely brainless._

Ijolite gripped my hand and raised it.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Thompson Kirstein and Venus Lorieta! And may the odds be _ever _in your favor!"

The odds _were _in my favor, with my skills and my endurance. But that didn't matter. Hang the odds. I was going to win and that was that.

* * *

**Heads up: I got a pretty diverse bunch of tributes, but there are two things they tend to share. Nearly all the girls are short- from 5 feet to 5'4", and just about every tribute is a fast runner. The short thing shouldn't really matter, but the Bloodbath is going to be more or less evened out since all the tributes are fast. If you sent in a fast tribute, that doesn't mean they're dead meat, but a couple of them might still get caught and die. The guys had a little more variety, but they're still shorter than I expected. Guess we'll see what happens.**


	7. District 3 Reaping

Spencer Wire POV

_Let's get this over with._

I stood in line as our escort, a drab looking woman in a blue dress, fished around in the ladies' bowl. Bring it on. What else could possibly go wrong?

They say there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. It's hard to believe after your father left before you were born, your twin brother was murdered by some thugs looking for the food he didn't have, and your mother bravely inspires you by climbing onto a chair and using a rope to learn how to fly. It's hard to know she didn't care enough to stick around for her only son. She only saw Eli whenever she looked at me anyway. It's hard to look on the bright side when a good day is one where you don't get beaten and you get a full bowl of mush at the foster home.

_Oh come on. You're being unreasonable. It's not all _that _bad._

And it was true. My hair looked great. I didn't exactly have money for a stylist, or even gel, but this was District 3, the district of the eggheads. With a little ingenuity and inventiveness, I eventually found that butter makes great mousse. It almost made my tattered beige foster uniform look classy.

There was one other good thing about the whole deal. Every one of the other kids was standing there with me. Maybe tonight the foster home would be one kid emptier. Their faces were all filled with fear, and for once they gave me joy.

The escort called a name, and a skeleton of a girl walked onstage. I don't know how those long legs kept that body up. She couldn't have weighed a hundred pounds and she was almost as tall as I was. The only fat on her body was in her full lips, and her hair gave her body more volume than the rest of her shape. I didn't recognize her. She must have lived in a real house with a real family.

The escort dipped her hand into the other bowl.

"Spencer Wire!" she called.

_You have got to be kidding me._

I really shouldn't have been surprised. Obviously my family had grievously wronged the universe and I shouldn't even have lived this long. I walked onto the stage and stood next to the girl. She looked at me nervously. I didn't smile. I just looked back at her.

The escort announced us and the crowd applauded weakly. I went backstage and waited to say goodbye to my family. Except I didn't have a family, and nobody came. I sat on the cold metal bench and took my token out of my pocket. Lucky thing I keep it with me all the time, since there was nobody to go fetch it for me.

It was the last little bit of my mother I had: an eight-inch length of thin white rope. It was just long enough to get around my neck. How very appropriate.

Hailey Falkenrath POV

It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear and I could just imagine a dragon cutting a red line through the air as it flew. The other kids stood in lines like guests at some massive fairytale ball.

I wasn't worried I'd get picked. I never got picked first for anything. With my bony frame, I wasn't fit for anything but drawing. I wasn't much too look at, either. I guess I wasn't really much at all. Maybe that was why I liked playing pretend so much. I could be a lovely princess or a daring warrior. I drew sprawling pictures of my grand adventures. Sometimes my classmates would compliment my drawings. I knew they were just being polite. I tried to tell them, but they just laughed. I like making people laugh. It's one of the few things I'm good at.

I don't know why my classmates think I'm so funny. They think it's so cool that I can just make up jokes and always have a funny comeback. It just comes naturally to me. I thought everyone could do that. Maybe it has something to do with my big imagination.

My imaginary world is so much better than the real thing. I have lots of friends there, and I'm not skinny and plain. I'm gorgeous and graceful, just like a princess.

Our escort, Bubbles Anglaise, reached into the bowl.

_What a name. Bubbles Anglaise. She's like a fairy, _I thought, and I decided from then on she was a fairy. She must be a water fairy, with her name and her blue dress. She called out a name.

"Hailey Falkenrath!"

_What? Me?_

There must have been a mistake. I never get picked for anything. I went onstage to correct her, but I was too shy to interrupt as she started picking the male tribute.

_I'll just wait until she's done, _I thought.

She called out another name and a boy joined me onstage. I didn't know him. He looked rough. Except for his hair, everything about him reeked of disrepair.

After the crowd cheered halfheartedly, I went backstage to let everyone know there had been a mistake.

"Excuse me," I said to one of the Peacekeepers. "I think there's been a mistake."

"What?" he consulted a tablet. "You're Hailey Falkenrath?"

"Yes, that's me," I said.

"You're it, all right. Your parents will be in shortly," he said.

_I actually got picked? _I felt a moment of triumph. Then I realized what I'd been picked for and everything faded away.

The door opened, and my mother and father came in. My father was wiping at his eyes, and my mother just grabbed me in a hug. My father sat beside us and hugged us both.

"Come back, okay honey?" my mother said.

I just held her and snuggled my face into her. I waved as they left. I knew if I said anything we'd all start crying.

After they left I sat alone on the bench. I wasn't a beautiful princess at all.

I thought back to the fairytales I loved so much. For the longest time I'd figured I was the ugly stepsister. Now I finally realized I was wrong. I wasn't the ugly stepsister. I was Theseus. He was a tribute just like me. And Theseus slew the Minotaur and sailed away.

Just like I was going to.


	8. District 4 Reaping

Dane Verity POV

Another year, another Reaping. Here in District 4 it isn't so bad. A lot of kids volunteer so they can get fame and glory. Or death, but whatever they want. It's unofficial protocol that if the reaped tribute looks like he or she might win, you're not supposed to volunteer. I'm not sure how that got started.

I found a group of my friends in one of the lines and stood next to them.

"Hey, Pike! How's the catch?" I asked one of the boys.

"Nothing but net," he responded with a smile.

Ryan and Sean stood next to him. We chatted until the Anthem played and pretended to listen to the traditional speech.

Our escort, Gaudius Spark, walked onstage in a dark blue suit covered in metallic scales.

_I suppose that's supposed to make you look like "one of us", _I thought. _Nice try, flotsam. You're as District 4 as a cactus._

Gaudius fished around in the bowl and came up with a slip of paper.

"Celestial Yeager!" he called.

_Celestial? _I thought. I knew her. She fished sometimes with her father on the poor side of the shore. She was a little odd- always changing the subject and fidgeting. She probably wouldn't last long. Girl didn't even like water. What a waste of space.

"Dane Verity!" he called.

I was surprised to hear my name, but I wasn't worried. Surely someone would volunteer for _me. _I was just some random fisher kid from a beat-up old boat. I hadn't trained for this or made a name for myself as a champ.

I stood on stage and waited for Gaudius to continue.

"Do we have any volunteers?" he asked.

There was silence.

_Wait, that's not supposed to happen, _I thought. _What about all those kids who never shut up about their glorious victories? Surely they don't think I can _win_?_

After a moment of silence, Gaudius announced us and the crowd applauded.

I sat backstage until my father came. My mother would have come if she wasn't in a shark's belly. You know how they say you're more likely to get struck by lightning than attacked by a shark? We don't get much lightning in 4, but we have plenty of sharks.

My father sat down next to me.

"You can do this, Dane," he said. "You know you can. You're strong and you're smart. You didn't need the Academy to teach you to use a knife. You can clean a fish in two strokes."

I knew he was right, but I also knew there were a lot of other tributes who knew all that and more. Maybe I was big and strong, but that didn't mean I knew what I was doing. I was willing to kill if I had to, but I didn't know if I had the skills.

"Yeah, I can, can't I?" I said to my father. I straightened up.

"I'll do what I have to," I said.

My father smiled sadly and dug into his pocket.

"Don't forget where you came from," he said. "They can't change who you are."

He handed me a smooth shard of green sea glass. It was like holding a piece of home.

"Do us proud, son. Show them what 4 is made of," he said as he rose.

He seemed confident when he left. I guess I convinced him. If only I could convince myself.

I looked myself over. I was tall and solid, and years of hauling nets had given me powerful arms. Maybe I didn't know what I was getting into or how I'd manage, but my father didn't know that.

I'd make sure the Capitol didn't either.

* * *

Celestial Yeager POV

For me, the Reaping is the most exciting day of the year. I don't get out much, seeing as District 4 is pretty much water. I hate water. I have heard all the jokes and every possible taunt, but I don't like water and that's that. It's slippery and cold and it's just not _solid. _The only thing good about water is otters.

Otters I like. I love all animals, but the best of all are otters. They're cute and friendly and they're the way I stay connected to my father. Since my mother and father split a few years back, I've gone between the two houses, but I spend more time with my mother. When I'm at my father's run-down shack, he fishes and I train the otters. It's not so uncommon in 4. Otters can chase the fish down and find them in cracks our nets can't reach.

At my mother's house the walls of my bedroom are covered in drawings of otters and other animals. I have a whole notebook filled with stories about otters and other animals. What else is a girl who hates water going to do with her time? When I'm done making and fixing our nets and the otters are tired, it's time to create.

The only time I can sit still is when I'm writing or drawing. There's just so much to see and do. There are otters to pet, birds to watch, drawings to draw, parks to run around in, and so much more. I usually end up doing stuff alone, since I think I scare other people a little. They like to just sit and do things for ages. They're terribly boring. The only time they speed up is when they swim, and they know how I feel about that.

I stood shifting my weight between my feet as I waited impatiently for Gaudius to get on with it. He finally picked a slip and held it up.

"Celestial Yeager!" he announced.

_Woopee it's me I get to move! _I thought. Halfway to the stage I remembered what it meant, and that ruined it a little, but at least I wasn't stuck anymore.

There were no volunteers. Shucks. A boy joined me. I didn't know him very well, but I'd seen him around when I was fishing with my otters.

My mother and father joined me backstage.

"Take care of the otters," I said to my father. "Make sure you feed them twice a day and remember that Ollie likes urchins and not oysters."

"Don't worry about them. Just come back soon, okay? They'll miss you," my father said.

My mother didn't say much. Her face was pale and she kept wiping her eyes. She held something out to me.

"They're always with you, and so are we," she said. She handed me an otter carved out of driftwood.

"Love you," I said to her as I hugged her. "Love you too," I said as I hugged my father.

They took each other's hands as they left.

_Good, maybe they'll get back together, _I thought. I ran my fingers over my little otter and smiled. Things were looking better already.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**If any of you has an escort or mentors they want to add, send them in! Right now I'm making up names on the fly as I write each chapter.**


	9. District 5 Reaping

Sarla Mondins POV:

I tried to stand still as Daniel finished braiding my hair. He may be a foot taller than me and the bravest boy I know, but with me he's a teddy bear. Since Mom and Dad never do anything with us, Daniel pretty much took over. He's always checking on me at school and making sure I get my homework done. He won't even let me walk home alone.

"Goodbye, Dad!" I called as we left. Mom was at work.

Daniel took my hand as we walked. He only left when we separated into our age groups, and I could see him peeking over at me every few minutes.

I stood with some of my friends and we whispered to each other as Ambrosia Poppet walked onstage. She was wearing a huge ball gown with rainbow stripes and her face was painted to match. She certainly was a sight to see.

She held a slip of paper between two fingers and read it.

"Sarla Mondins!"

I stood in shock. My friends gasped and recoiled.

_No... I don't want to die. No I want to go home._

I started crying and shuffled toward the stage. I looked at Daniel in terror. He was completely calm and stared straight ahead.

I stood at the edge of the stage right in front of Daniel and clenched my hands around the waist of my dress, staring at my feet. I wanted to run to Daniel and bury myself in his arms.

Ambrosia called another name. A boy stood next to me on stage.

"Are there any volunteers?" Ambrosia asked.

"I volunteer," Daniel said calmly.

I looked up in shock. He was walking placidly to the stage.

_Daniel? I don't want you to die too, _I thought. I started crying harder.

Daniel reached the stage, and I ran to him. I grabbed him as tight as I could and sobbed into his chest. He wrapped one arm around me and stroked my hair with the other.

"It's all right, Sarla. It's gonna be okay," he said.

But I knew it wasn't.

* * *

Daniel Mondins POV

I tried not to shake as I brushed my sister's hair. She wanted to look pretty for the Reaping. She'd asked our mother, but she said she had a memo to write. So there I was, braiding Sarla's hair like a boss.

I could have told her Mom wouldn't do it. If she wasn't at work or "networking" with her friends, she was harassing the servants or drinking with my dad. I don't know why they bothered to have children. Sometimes I thought they forgot they had us at all.

Sarla called out a goodbye as we walked out the door. I didn't bother. I knew they wouldn't answer, and they didn't.

I gripped her hand tight as we walked toward the Reaping center. This was the one day of the year I couldn't protect her, and I hated it. I could pack her lunch for school and watch to make sure her friends didn't bully her, but I couldn't take her name out of that bowl.

I watched Sarla until she found her friends and stood with them. I liked to see her giggle and whisper with the other girls. I didn't have many friends. Some of the kids thought I was a rich snob. The others thought I didn't want to hang out with them. The first group was wrong. The second wasn't.

I focused my gaze on Ambrosia as she held a slip of paper up to the light. She opened it.

"Sarla Mondins!"

I felt nothing. My body relaxed and I knew exactly what to do.

She reached into the other bowl and called a name. I wasn't listening. A boy walked onto the stage, so it must not have been mine. Sarla stood in front of me and softly cried.

"Do we have any volunteers?" she asked.

"I volunteer," I said immediately. I walked up on the stage and stood next to Sarla. She looked at me with terror and ran into my arms.

There was no need to make a big fuss about it. I was just doing my job. I was her brother.

Ambrosia announced us as we were still hugging.

Backstage, the Peacekeepers let us sit in the same room. I held Sarla and she snuggled into me.

Mom and Dad came in. Dad was wearing golf cleats, and I saw him wave away a caddy.

"Sorry this had to happen, kids," Dad said.

Sarla looked at Mom expectantly, and a tear streaked her cheeks.

"I'm sure you'll both be fine," Mom said. "You're Mondins. Oh, you two need a token." She fumbled around in her pocket and handed something to Sarla. She handed another one to me.

It was a gold coin.

_Wow, thanks. Maybe I can buy the Hunger Games, _I thought.

"It seems appropriate," Mom said.

Dad checked his watch.

"Woah, I gotta get going! Murray's not going to beat me this time! See ya, squirts," he said.

Mom patted us both on the shoulder and followed him.

Sarla looked at the coin in her hand. She turned back to me.

"Forget them. I'll take care of you. I'll take care of you forever," I said.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**I guess there are a lot of tributes with missing relatives, aren't there? The user who sent in Dane didn't say anything about his mother getting eaten by a shark, though. I added that part myself. There wasn't much in his profile, so I got creative.**


	10. District 6 Reaping

Harvey Willis POV

"Good one, butthead! Your mom made the same face last night!" I called after a boy who made a face at me and ran off. I was used to it. I had a lot of enemies. I don't know why. I'm a decent enough guy. Maybe I'm a little loud, but if you can't take that I ain't got time for you anyway.

It never took me long to get ready for a Reaping. I looked fine enough just rolling out of bed, and my parents generally just waved goodbye and locked themselves in their room.

I found a place in the crowd and catcalled through the speech. That wasn't exactly legal, but I wasn't loud enough for the Peacekeepers to hear. Not that I wasn't trying my hardest. They just had some wicked speakers.

Our escort Otho Tome swaggered onstage in a ridiculous red velvet jumpsuit.

"Looking good! You mug a fire hydrant on the way over?" I jeered. A few kids around me snickered, and Otho glared in my direction.

He sniffed and returned to the bowls.

"Ladies first!" he said as he dipped his hand in.

"Astra Quill!" he called out.

A girl with brown hair and brown eyes stepped onto the stage.

I knew Astra. We weren't in the same grade, but I saw her around school. She was nice enough. She had her own group of friends, so we didn't interact much.

Otho stepped over to the boys' bowl and picked a slip.

"Harvey Willis!"

_Me? Now the party's started._

I strode onstage confidently and took my place next to Astra. She looked at me nervously and a flashed a huge grin at her.

Otho took our hands and announced us. I reveled in the sound of our entire District cheering us on. Otho took too long, so I gave him a hand.

"How about a round of applause, huh? Put those hands together!" I shouted. There was scattered applause. Most of it came from Astra's side. Philistines.

Otho looked about ready to chuck me off the stage, but he demurely folded his hands and pressed his lips together while his eyes shot daggers at me.

My parents came to see me off backstage. My mom was crying, and my dad was holding her.

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll be fine," I said.

"Don't go into the bloodbath," she said. "Just stay away from the other kids, okay?"

"Sure, Mom. No problem," I said.

I gave them both a hug and they left.

_Okay, maybe a little problem._

I would certainly think about what Mom said. But maybe she was just a worrywart. If there was good stuff in the Cornucopia and the other kids were wimps, maybe I'd take a look. We'd have to wait and see. I wasn't sure exactly what would happen, but I wasn't worried. I had this.

* * *

Astra Quill POV

I looked up from the book I was reading and frowned. I was forgetting something.

_Oh yeah, it's Reaping day._

I looked longingly back at my book and put it down. It was full of great facts about ancient history, like the Roman gladiators and the first settlers of Panem. I loved books that told me things I never would have gotten to see otherwise. I hoped that maybe someday I'd get invited to live in the Capitol and then I could travel all over Panem.

"Astra, time to go," my dad called as he walked into my room. "Get your shoes on."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I said. I scampered off my bed and ran downstairs.

I pulled on my shoes and called goodbye to my parents. I ran all the way to the Reaping center, since I was running a little late. The attendant glared at me as I scooted in, but she took my blood and let me pass.

I slid into line just as Otho was reaching into the bowl.

"Astra Quill!" he called.

I froze. The girl behind me nudged me gently and I stumbled forward.

_I don't want to go to the Hunger Games. I want to stay here and learn about stuff, _I thought as I walked.

I stood on the stage and tried not to hyperventilate as Otho pulled the second slip.

"Harvey Willis!" he announced.

_Oh great. Not Harvey, _I thought.

My memory may have been the pits, but nobody could forget Harvey. For most people I had some way to remember them, like a crooked smile or a lisp. Harvey was easy. He never shut up. That boy could power and train with his wind.

_That's my district partner, and he might end up being my only ally, _I thought. I looked over at him and he smiled cheesily at me. Somehow it didn't encourage me.

I sat trembling on the bench backstage until my parents came. As soon as my dad sat down next to me I burst into tears and snuggled into him.

"I don't want to die, Daddy," I said. "Take me home."

Dad held me close and rocked me.

"I love you, Astra. Wherever you are, Mom and I will be watching over you. I love you so much."

Mom wrapped her arms around us both and stroked my hair.

"I love you, my baby," she said.

"Sing to me?" I asked her. She used to sing to me every night when I was little. Then she'd sit in the hall to keep the monsters away.

"Shh, it's okay, honey," Mom said.

"_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine_

_ You keep me happy when skies are gray_

_ You'll never know, dear, how much I love you_

_ Please don't take my sunshine away"_

She and Dad kept rocking me as she sang. By the final line she was whispering. It was my favorite song, a song as old as the history I loved to read about.

A Peacekeeper laid his hand on her shoulder.

"It's time to go," he said.

My mother let go of me and stood up, and I knew when she left I might never see her again. She stood outside the door and they watched me until it was completely closed.

"I love you, Mom!" I called as I cried. "I love you both! Please don't go. I love you," I said just as the door shut.

Then they were gone, and I cried alone.


	11. District 7 Reaping

Ever Fellows POV

"Happy birthday, Ever!" my little sister Eire screamed into my ear. That woke me up pretty quick.

"Go away…" I moaned and turned over. Two peering little blue eyes stared back at me over the edge of the bed, and I had to pull the covers over my head to escape.

"EH-VER! It's Reaping Day! Get out of bed!" Eire persisted. She started jumping at my feet.

"Fine, squirt. I'm up!" I said as I rose. The sun was barely up, and everything was quiet. Sure, _today _she's up at the crack of dawn. When we have chores, she suddenly needs her beauty rest. Eire tagged along as I threw some running clothes on and gulped down a few bites of breakfast oatmeal. Mom and Dad were already working, so Eire was on her own for a few hours. She knows not to start the house on fire and the neighbors will check if anything seems wrong, so she'd be fine.

"Are you gonna have a party?" Eire asked as I pulled my shoes on.

"Yeah, I'm going to go run five miles and maybe today I'll win a prize," I said bitterly.

"Can I come?" she asked.

"Can you run five miles?" I asked.

"No," she admitted.

"Only big girls get to go. It's not as fun as it sounds anyway," I said. I tucked my hair into a ponytail holder so it wouldn't get in my face as I ran and hugged her before I left.

I checked the town clock tower as I ran past. It was seven o'clock. That gave me just enough time to squeeze in my usual run and a little leftover to straighten myself up.

I jogged past the center of town and headed for a quiet cluster of houses. Over the years I'd covered most of District 7, but my routes became decidedly more selective after I got bit by a nasty yellow dog. Stupid mutt.

My family was lucky enough not to need tesserae, so my name was only in the bowl three times. Even so, I wasn't taking any chances. It was illegal to train and all that, but nobody cared if some girl threw a few knives at a stump in her backyard. I was a pretty good shot by now. It was flight or fight in the Games, and between that and my running, I had both bases covered.

I arrived at the Reaping center slightly out of breath but ready to run another couple of miles. The attendant smiled as she took my blood.

"Happy birthday!" she said.

_Thanks. It's my favorite day of the year, _I thought.

I watched the stupid film as felt my blood heat up. We all knew what it said. They knew we knew. Get on with it.

Mariposa Aglet took the stage in a thong and pasties that covered flesh only in theory, all wrapped in a layer of sheer white tulle. I was reminded again why I would never understand Capitol fashion.

She selected a paper.

"Ever Fellows!"

_Well, happy freaking birthday to me._

* * *

Timber Jones POV

_"Settlers faced cholera, dangerous animals, dehydration, poisonous plants, and many other perils. Many remained stuck on snowy mountain ranges for months before the ice melted enough for them to pass."_

The rest of the page was hidden under my shirt, and I sneakily tugged it out so I could read another line. I knew I shouldn't be reading at the Reaping, but putting down a book was easier said than done. I only had a few more pages anyway.

I glanced up when Mariposa called a girl's name. My heart sank when I saw Ever Fellows step on stage. She didn't deserve this. She may have a temper, but I'd seen the way she was with her little sister Eire. If Eire found their mother's makeup, Ever gamely let her make her the most fabulous girl in 7. Every time they raced, Ever somehow tripped right before the finish line. That girl may have been outspoken and unwilling to take any crap, but she'd fight a tiger for her sister, and she'd probably shout him to death.

Mariposa approached the boys' bowl, and I didn't feel like reading any more. I held my breath as she unfolded a paper.

"Timber Jones!"

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I didn't hear anything, but then I felt someone pulling me and realized a Peacekeeper was dragging me onto the stage.

_Roul._

I swept the crowd with my eyes and found my brother. All those times the kids at school threw my books in the dirt, it was Raol that chased them away and dusted them off. When Raol was going to a party and I had nowhere to go, he was the one who always convinced his friends I was cool. I knew he'd help me now.

"Roul!" I screamed. I stared at him pleadingly. He'd volunteer any moment.

I kept staring at him. He wasn't moving.

He was crying.

"Roul!" I shouted again, louder this time. "_Roul!" _

He started to weep as he shook his head.

"No! No, Roul! No, don't leave me!" I wailed. Mariposa took my hand as I sobbed.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Ever Fellows and Timber Jones!" she said, but nobody heard her over my cries.

I was trembling and staring at the wall when Roul came in. He was still crying.

"Why? Why didn't you come?" I asked. I could barely speak.

"I'm so sorry, Timber," my brother said. His voice cracked. "I'm sorry."

He lowered his head.

"It's Cassia. She's… she's pregnant."

_What does that matter? I'm your little brother, _I thought in confusion.

"I'm sorry… I need to be here for her. I can't just leave her and our son. I love you, Timber. I'm so sorry."

He couldn't say any more. He hid his face in his hands and cried.

I almost cried too, but I found I'd used up all my tears before Roul came. I already knew I was going to die. I didn't want my last minutes with my brother to be sad. I laid a hand on his back.

"It's… it's okay, Roul. I love you," I said.

Roul hugged me tight and sobbed.

"I love you too," he said. "I love you so much."

* * *

**Author's note:**

**I'm trying to be as descriptive as I can, but I just tend to write stark, so if these chapters are too short, tell me to knock it off. Also, I hope the submitter doesn't mind that I gave Ever a little sister. It was the only way I could think of to make her tough yet compassionate. And how awesome would siblings named Ever and Eire be?**


	12. District 8 Reaping

Alayza Mont POV

I sat on a bench in the village center watching people go by.

"Hey grandma, you dress yourself in the dark?" I called after a particularly poorly-dressed woman walked by.

"Alayza! She's _blind,_" my friend Jenna gasped.

"What? How could I know?" I snapped.

"Maybe the dark glasses or the cane," she said.

I scowled at her.

"Well, she probably looked at the sun or something, so she deserves it," I said.

Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Bet I can jump over this bench," I said.

"Can _not," _Jenna said.

"Get off," I shooed her away and ran at the bench.

I made it more than halfway before I crashed into the wood and tumbled into the dirt.

"Sun was in my eyes," I grumbled as I picked myself up.

"Come on, we'd better get to the Reaping center," Jenna said.

I ran ahead of her and smacked into the older girl in the line ahead of me.

"Watch it," she growled. I stuck my tongue out at her.

Remus Colander paraded onstage with a huge grin and a grand sweep of his arms.

_Peacock, _I thought.

"Ladies first!" he crowed.

"Alayzea Mont!" he announced.

_Aw, shoot, _I thought. I stormed out of the line- making sure to elbow the girl ahead of me as I went- and stood with my arms folded in front of the bowl.

Remus reached into the other bowl.

"Caldwell Brax!" he called.

_Kooky Caldwell? This is rich, _I thought. Caldwell took his place beside me and flinched when Remus took his hand. He took my hand at the same time and raised them triumphantly.

He made one mistake, though. He left the other hand free. And just as he was mooning for applause, I flashed a very recognizable salute that definitely did _not _originate in my district.

* * *

Caldwell Brax POV

I looked at the people in the crowd. Two thousand, three hundred and twenty-nine people. One thousand, one hundred and eighty-five were boys. One thousand, one hundred and forty-four were girls.

I shrank back as the boy to my left brushed against me. I stuffed my hands tightly in my pockets and stared at my feet.

_Hate this. Hate the bloodbath. Hate all the people._

I wanted to be back in my room taking inventory for the factory. I loved going over the sheets and counting all the different materials and threads we went through. Sometimes my dad asked me a question about profit margins or ideal quantities of products, and I always knew the answers. Numbers were my friends. They made much more sense than people.

My room was just right. I could close the door and be away from all the people, and when I needed just a little interaction I could crack it open and Dad and Mom could come in once in a while. They liked it when I came out sometimes and did things with them, so I tried to do that once a night.

"Alayzea Mont!" our escort called. I watched her walk to the stage.

I didn't like Alayzea. She was loud and she liked to follow me around poking me. She called me Kooky Caldwell. That was not my name.

I watched coldly as she stood by the bowl. She didn't seem any more upset than I was. The escort picked out another name.

"Caldwell Brax!"

That meant I had to go onto the stage. I tucked my arms to my sides and hunched as I walked. I felt all the people watching me and I hated it. Why couldn't they leave me alone?

I walked around Alayzea and stood on the other side of the escort. He grabbed my hand and I winced.

_Ugh. Nasty gross hand. Why'd you do that?_

He hoisted it up so hard I almost left the ground and then shouted in my ear.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Alayzea Mont and Caldwell Brax!"

I darted backstage and enjoyed the quiet stillness of the waiting room.

My parents came in. My mother sat beside me and my father remained standing.

"You can do this, son," my father said. "You're smart and you're quiet. Don't let them find you. Just stay away from the others. You're good at that."

I nodded. My mother wrapped her arms around me. Usually I didn't like that, but she was usually good about it and I knew she really wanted to hug me, so I let her. I even hugged her back a little. I _did _love her. I just didn't love hugs.

My mother rose and stood close to my father. They took each other's hands and their voices sounded rough.

"Do good, Caldwell. We love you," my father said.

"I love you, baby," my mother said.

"Love you," I said reflexively.

Then they left.

* * *

**First of all, sorry this one's short. The tributes both had sparse bios. Second, you probably guessed, but Caldwell is indeed mildly autistic. That's what he sounded like in his description, so I rolled with it. He's pretty high-functioning, so it won't affect his ability to survive.**

**One more thing: let's have a big round of applause for thepencilunleashed, who provided Remus' name!**


	13. District 9 Reaping

Miller Thresher POV

Life is good.

My father is the richest man in town, we live in a mansion and I've never had to so much look at tesserae. I'd probably vomit if I did. I know what real food tastes like. It's one of life's greatest pleasures.

To add to all that, I'm smart, handsome, agile, popular, confident, and stylish. No doubt I'll get invited to live in the Capitol before I'm even eighteen. A face like this begs to be on television.

As I swaggered to the Reaping center, I passed a filthy beggar sitting by the side of the road. I looked at the sandwich I was eating and then back at him.

"For goodness sakes, clean yourself up," I said as I tossed him a chunk of crust. He picked it up off the ground and tore into it. Dirty bum.

Even after that unpleasant interruption I was a bit early, so I popped into the nearest bakery and bought a dozen cookies, snacking on them until I finally reached the Reaping Center. The film was almost over. A normal person could have been shot for that, but I was the mayor's son, and nobody dared lay a hand on me.

Our escort, Kitty Leek, looked as drab as ever. Maybe I'd take over her job in a few years. I'd certainly be better than that old bird.

"As always, ladies first," she droned.

"Heidi Garrett!"

A plain girl I recognized from school walked onto the stage. Truth be told, she was beneath my notice. She kept to herself and didn't talk much. It was just as well. It left more room for me to talk.

Kitty reached into the boys' jar.

"Miller Thresher!" she announced.

"What?!" I bellowed. _I'm the mayor's son! I shouldn't even be in there!_

_ Hold on… I hear the food in the Capitol is great. I can work with this._

I swaggered onto the stage and stood in front of Heidi. No need for her to ruin the view.

Kitty took my hand and raised it overhead, bringing me to my tiptoes. Good things come in small packages, after all.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Heidi Garrett and Miller Thresher!"

Maybe five people clapped. I glared at them.

"Is that all you got? Come on, you bunch of losers!" I yelled.

Nobody else clapped.

"Well screw you too!"

My mother was wailing dramatically and wiping her eyes with a handkerchief when she and my father came in.

"Oh my poor little Millie!" she cried.

"_Mooooooom, _you know I don't like when you call me that," I complained.

"It's just you're my little baby and you have to go to that awful Capitol," she said. She pressed me into her chest.

"Aw Mom, I'll be fine. I'll send for you guys when I win so you can come live with me in the Capitol," I said.

I turned to my dad.

"You're probably pretty busy. Love you. You too, Mom. Bye," I said. My mother gave me one last hug and then they were gone.

* * *

Heidi Garrett POV

I could hear my parents tending to the grain in the fields. Usually I'd be out helping them, but today was Reaping day, so I stayed in to get ready. I didn't want to be totally useless, so I was working on some breakfast. Back when Hattie and Jamie were too young to stay home alone, I did all the cooking for them. By now I was pretty quick with a kitchen knife. I did the cooking most weekends still. I'd gotten good at stretching food and making do.

I flipped the last pancake and put the stack in the oven to stay warm. There was a metal triangle hanging by the front door, and I banged on it with the little metal stick that hung from it on a rope.

"Come and get it!" I called. I heard cheers and within minutes the whole family was gathered around the table.

"How's the harvest?" I asked.

"It's going. I'm having trouble telling the weeds from the plants, though. Sometimes it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack," my dad said.

"That's easy. Just burn the haystack," I said.

My dad smiled.

"That's my clever girl," he said.

We finished our meal and I stood up to go. I paused at the doorway.

"You'll be fine," my mother said. She tried to smile.

I tried to smile back.

I sat through the film and pretended to listen to the speech. Things brightened a little when Kitty Leek came out, but I do declare, we have the dullest escort in Panem. I can't tell if she's even awake.

"Ladies first," she said. She fished out a name.

"Heidi Garrett!" she called.

My hands flew to my mouth and my eyes filled. The girls next to me shied away and one bumped into me. I stumbled forward and found my way to the stage, where I stood in a daze.

"And now for the gentlemen," Kitty continued.

_Oh good, at least I won't be alone anymore, _I thought.

"Miller Thresher!"

_Oh, no._

Miller was, without a doubt, the most odious, revolting toad I had ever met. That fat little doughboy jiggled like mashed potatoes and talked like he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. And now I would have to listen to that awful racket for days, possibly for the rest of my life. The only upside is that while I wouldn't wish the Hunger Games on anyone, not even Miller, there are people I wouldn't wish it on more than I wouldn't wish it on him.

After Miller proceeded to settle in front of me like a fat solar eclipse, I escaped backstage and waited for my family.

"Heidi! Heidi!" Jamie and Hattie yelled as they ran in. They jumped on me and wrapped their arms around my neck.

"We don't want you to go!" the cried.

"It's okay, guys," I said. "Try not to burn the pancakes, okay?"

"We won't," Hattie said.

"Why don't you two wait outside? We'll be out in a minute," Mom said.

Hattie and Jamie squeezed me one last time and reluctantly left, waving as they went.

"I'll try to come back," I said. My voice sounded so small.

"I know you will, darling," Mom said.

"We'll be together again in no time," my dad said tightly. He handed me a set of measuring spoons.

"Now you bring those back, you hear?" he said.

"I will. Don't worry. I love you guys," I said.

"We love you too, Heidi. See you soon," my mom said.

I stared at the spoons after they left. It was all I had of home now, and I knew it would never be enough.

* * *

**I think you might be able to guess what the user who submitted Miller had in mind. But let's not count him out. He might come from behind and eat the Cornucopia.**


	14. District 10 Reaping

Bree Maeberry POV

I looked around to make sure nobody was watching, then stuffed two cookies into my bag. I turned around and bumped straight into the storekeeper, Griffith Knotts.

"Bree, what are you doing?" he asked. He didn't seem very mad.

"Nothing! Just… looking around," I said with my eyes on the ground.

Griffith opened my bag and took the cookies out.

"Your brother put you up to this, didn't he?" he asked.

"Yeah," I admitted.

"Just shoo away, all right? And tell Nate if I catch you shoplifting again I'm having _him _arrested."

I cleared out of the store and met my brother in the village square.

"Well, did you get them?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"I got caught," I said.

"Aw Bree, you mess everything up," he groaned. "Come on, let's get to the Reaping."

I followed him to the Reaping center and settled in with the other girls. Spirits were a little higher among the children today, since last year District 10 got its first victor, Cornflower Fields. She won by hiding out until everyone else froze to death. It wasn't glamorous, but it worked.

Cornflower didn't leave the Victors' Village often. She was a little… odd. Some of the kids called her "Crazy Cornflower", and truth be told, they were right. In all the footage of her Games I could see her tapping things and repeating everything she said. The only time I saw her since she won was when her Victor parcels came and the kids got all sorts of treats. If people started cheering and trying to shake her hand she ducked back into her house, but until then she handed out stuff to the kids and even played with them a little. They didn't seem to notice how weird she was.

Our escort Fluvius whisked over to one of the bowls.

"Ladies first!" he said cheerily.

"Bree Maeberry!" he called.

I was so stunned I didn't realize what I was doing until I was already on the stage. I found Nate in the crowd and looked at him in shock. He stared back at me and he seemed genuinely sad. I guess he did love me after all.

Fluvius called another name. I didn't pretend that Nate would volunteer. We didn't want our parents losing two children.

"Jean Roberts!"

I was glad to have someone else onstage with me, but I wished it didn't have to be Jean. He was a nice, hardworking boy. He never hurt anyone.

Nate came backstage with my ma and pa to say goodbye.

"Don't let the other kids push you around. That's my job," he said with a smile.

"I'll do my best," I said. "I love you. And you, Ma and Pa."

Nate handed me a little plastic cow.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked. Nate just winked.

Guess I didn't mess everything up after all.

* * *

Jean Roberts POV

I couldn't count how many times my name was in the Reaping bowl. I didn't want to, either. All I knew was that no matter how hard things got, my little brothers would never have to take tesserae. I'd break every horse in the district first. I can take care of them.

I took my place in the Reaping Center and waited as Fluvius picked the girl. When I saw it was Bree, I knew our chances of winning just halved. If a Career told Bree to come over and check out his sword, she'd do it in a heartbeat. Maybe I'd think about allying with her for a while, just so she wouldn't completely shame District 10.

Fluvius continued on to the boys' bowl.

"Jean Roberts!" he called.

_Crap, _I thought. I put on a confident face and sauntered nonchalantly up to the stage. It could be worse. I wouldn't have volunteered- that was for idiots and lunatics- but I could do this. I was strong and solid. Those "Careers" didn't have anything on me.

Fluvius grabbed my hand. I shook him off.

"Lay off, pretty boy," I snarled. Fluvius looked like I'd killed his kitten.

I raised my hands alone and let the sparse cheering wash over me.

My mother and father came backstage, dragging my little sisters behind them.

"Who's gonna chase the monsters away if you're not here?" Suzie asked.

"Don't worry, they're too scared of me to come out again," I said. I turned to my parents.

"Don't worry about me. In a few weeks District 10 will have its first _real _Victor."

We had one Victor in twenty-four years, but she hardly counted. Just last year she won her Games by hiding like a sissy until everyone else died. She wasn't a Victor. She was just a survivor. I looked forward to showing District 10 what a real Victor was. I only wished I had someone who could actually be a useful mentor.

* * *

**A couple orders of business:**

**1\. A shiny new no-prize to anyone who sees how I referenced Bree's last name ;)**

**2\. Cornflower Fields is the winner in my last fanfic, Tyger Tyger. She's also my avatar, which I warned the readers about before I started. I wrote that fic as a self-devised therapy for my obsessive-compulsive disorder and Asperger's, so she's basically a carbon copy of what I would be like in the Hunger Games world. That's why she won with so much luck. I don't have the skills to really win. Cornflower will pop up now and then, since writing about her really is therapeutic for me, but I'll keep the focus on the new characters.**


	15. District 11 Reaping

Peppermint Wilson POV

I looked out the window and saw the sun blazing in the sky. Great. There are upsides and downsides to being one of the few milk-white kids in District 11. The boys love it, so as soon as I find one I fancy he's mine. The problem is that here in 11, we mostly work outside, under the sun. Since I seem to be incapable of tanning, I have to slather on sunscreen every five minutes or I peel like a banana. My mom and dad are both dark-skinned like most people around here. I don't know what happened with me.

My twin brother Apollo joined me as I sat down at the breakfast table. We weren't identical, since he was a boy and all, but he was pale like me.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Let's burn this place down," I replied.

We raced each other to the Reaping center. Apollo won, since his legs are way longer than mine, but I gave him a run for his money. We settled in identical rows across the center from each other.

Snapdragon Tinsel took the stage in a dress made entirely of glittery fringe with her signature flower tucked into her hair. She looked as bombastic as ever. It certainly was a showstopper, but she was wearing the same fringe-y necklace she wore three years ago. I suppose she thought we wouldn't notice. I always notice.

Snapdragon merrily reached into the bowl.

"Peppermint Wilson!" she announced with a grin.

My heart fluttered, but I shoved the fear aside and smiled. They want me to play a game? I love games. I never lose.

I stood next to Snapdragon as she reached into the other jar. I waved at the crowd as her back was turned.

"Drake Dern!" she called. Drake joined me on the stage. He was a bit of a jock, but things could be worse.

"Do we have any volunteers?" Snapdragon asked.

"I volunteer as tribute!" Apollo shouted.

"Apollo!" I scolded as he came onto the stage. "You didn't have to do that, you dummy!"

"C'mon, twins forever," Apollo said.

"All right. Let's show these losers how to win a game," I said. I high-fived him as Snapdragon called for applause.

Apollo started to lecture me as we sat backstage.

"Stick close to me, okay? Don't run into the Cornucopia. We don't need that stuff. We can alternate guarding at night," he said.

"Oh, shove off. You know I won't die. I'm too stubborn," I said.

Mom and Dad came in and fussed over us.

"Don't worry, Mom," I said. "I hate to lose. I'll take care of Apollo."

"Just take care, all right?" Dad said. Mom handed us each a bracelet with an apple broken in half.

"Remember, you're stronger together," Mom said.

"Together forever," I vowed. I took Apollo's hand and squeezed it.

"Together till the end."

* * *

Apollo POV

I sat next to Peppermint at the breakfast table. We _are _twins, after all. We're not exactly the same- she's a little quicker than I am, and I always want to let her win. Usually I don't have to, though. I have other talents. There's my angelic good looks, which the ladies love. It's hard to pinpoint, but I'm generally just sort of awesome.

I sprinted into the Reaping center just ahead of Peppermint. After the stupid speech and video Snapdragon reached into the girls' bowl.

"Peppermint Wilson!" she called.

I kept a straight face as my sister walked to the stage. Peppermint was tough. She could handle this. All the same, I didn't want to be apart from her that long. A thought started forming.

"Drake Dern!" Snapdragon continued.

_Drake? That musclehead? _He was fit enough, but I could run circles around him. I knew what I had to do.

"I volunteer as tribute!" I shouted. I stood next to Peppermint and grinned cheekily.

"You didn't have to do that, you dummy!" she said. It was true, but I wasn't leaving my sister alone in the Capitol. There were unscrupulous men there… and hot chicks.

"C'mon, twins forever!" I said. She smiled and high-fived me.

I started planning with her as we waited for Mom and Dad. I figured we'd stay out of the Bloodbath and pick off the weaker tributes as a team. The Careers would probably work themselves out.

Mom and Dad came in and we talked a little. Mom handed me and Peppermint matching bracelets. Really, bracelets are for girls, but what can you do? Moms are moms.

"Remember, you're stronger together," mom said.

"Together till the end," Peppermint said. And I knew she was right.

* * *

**Apollo didn't get much, since he's pretty similar to Peppermint. Only one more reaping! I'm glad, since I'm running pretty low on names. I've been picking random words and looking around my room for last names. That's how Snapdragon Tinsel got her name. I think I've named about twenty bands in the process. **


	16. District 12 Reaping

Aspen Matthews POV

"Come on, Elle!" I shouted. My gorgeous and awesome best friend picked up her pace a little. Someday we'll be together. She says she's "not ready", and I can wait. Someday she'll see, just like I see her smooth olive skin and her unforgettable brown eyes. We were headed for the Reaping center. It's not a barrel of laughs, but at least there are other kids there.

I ended up standing between two other boys I didn't know. That meant they were two friends waiting to be made. The one to my right looked like he was about to cry.

"Psst," I whispered as the speech droned on. "Wanna hear a joke about an egg?"

"What?" he whispered back. He looked like I'd grown another head.

"Nah, it's rotten," I finished. He burst into giggles and clapped his hand to his mouth. A few of the boys around me shook with suppressed laughter.

I smiled. No need for everyone to be so gloomy.

I shifted impatiently as Demi Bottle reached into the ladies' bowl.

"Valerie Fallow!" she announced.

_Aw, not Valerie, _I thought. She was already ready to listen to the latest gossip I found at school. She laughed at my jokes, too. She was a nice girl.

"And now for the gentlemen!" Demi said.

_Finally. Just get it done so we can go home, _I thought.

"Aspen Matthews!"

I froze for an instant.

_Play it cool, _I thought. _You're just going on stage to tell a few jokes, that's all._

I stood next to Valerie and fidgeted while Demi announced us. She took forever, and I ended up knocking into the girls' Reaping bowl. It fell over and shattered. Glass flew everywhere.

"Thank you, ladies and germs!" I said, and I bowed. The crowd failed to muffle its laughter. I found Elle in the crowd and winked at her.

Hey, if you're gonna go out, go out with a bang.

* * *

Valerie Fallow POV

I drummed my fingers on my arm as the speech finished. It was half to hide my nervousness and half to mask my annoyance. I should have been out exploring the woods or finishing my drawing. I shouldn't be here cooped up waiting to see if I die.

I stood in line behind Kat O'Hara. She was such a perfect little princess. Funny how I heard she only passed the last exam since her father ran a still and Mr. Neeson liked a little moonshine.

Demi Bottle took the stage. Word is she got the job on a casting couch. I could see how a girl like her would go far in life.

"Ladies first!" she said perkily. She reached into the bowl.

"Valerie Fallow!"

My breathing quickened and my heart leapt. District 12 didn't have a single Victor. People were saying we were just bred inferior.

I tried not to cry as I stood in front of everyone. Demi continued without pause.

"Aspen Matthews!" she called.

_Oh, thank goodness. Come here, Aspen. Now I won't be alone, _I thought as Aspen joined me. Me and Aspen went way back. He provided tons of juicy gossip and all I had to do was listen and ask a few polite questions. I was good at listening, and he was good at talking.

Aspen wouldn't quit moving as Demi tried to announce us. I shot him a glare, but he just kept fidgeting. Then he slammed right into the Reaping bowl. It shattered with a terrific noise and I threw up my hands to ward off the glass.

"Thank you, ladies and germs!" Aspen crowed shamelessly. He bowed and soaked up the applause. What a ham.

I surveyed the chaos and looked back at the crowd.

_We are going to be the talk of the school._

* * *

**Here we are, folks, the last Reaping! Can't say I'll miss them. They're exhausting. I'll try to keep the POVs equal from here on out. The train chapters will just be little vignettes of the tributes meeting their mentors and escorts. I ain't got time to have another 12 chapters before the training even starts.**


	17. Mentors on a Train

Valencia POV

I sat next to Royal on the train and waited for our mentors to show up. I was in no rush, since Royal was easy on the eyes. He was pretending he didn't notice me staring at him. And boys say girls play hard to get.

The train door opened, and a tall man with short black hair and blue eyes walked in. I recognized him immediately- he was Azure Doyle, the Victor from five years ago.

"Let's see what we got," he said as he looked us over.

"I guess you'll do," he said to Royal. Then he looked over at me.

"Hey, princess, you just get your hair done today?" he asked.

I _had, _in fact, but there was no need to be rude.

"Well, excuse me. You're our mentor. You're supposed to help us win. How'd _you _win, anyway?" I asked.

He whipped a knife out of his pocket and threw it at my face. It stuck out of the wall a hair's width away from my cheek.

"Oh."

* * *

Thompson POV

I was greatly pleased to see to see Crag Steiner was the male mentor this year. Crag was a legend- three years ago he tore apart the games and set a death toll that still hadn't been matched. He killed the rest of the Careers and another three tributes with his ever present mace to score his win.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir," I said. I shook his hand.

"Let's get you ready," he said. He crouched into a fighting stance. "Show me what you got."

I charged forward and aimed a fist at his face. He ducked aside and swept his leg out, and I fell flat on my bottom.

"I like your guts, kid, but you got a lot to work on. We'd better get started," he said.

* * *

Hailey Falkenrath POV

Acee Hal was not what I expected. I thought Victors were big and tough, but she was a tiny little pixie. She had sharp eyes and long fingers that were always fiddling with one thing or another.

"There's always a weapon," she said after we were introduced. "See that tablecloth? It'd make a fine noose. So will pants in a pinch. Fruits are high in acid. Lemons make great batteries. The Cornucopia's usually made of conductive metal. Sometimes the best thing in there _is _the Cornucopia."

She continued talking and I tried to keep track of all the things I could use to kill people. No wonder everyone called her Macgyver. He was big in the legends of District 3. One story told about how he stopped a nuclear explosion with a bar of chocolate.

After a few minutes, I knew I had a mentor like none other in Panem. And the more I thought about it, the more I thought it wasn't so bad.

* * *

Dane Verity POV

"Is it all right if I don't ally with the Careers?" I asked my mentor, Jonah Breaker. He was one of the older Victors- he won the fifth Games when he was eighteen. It was a desert arena, so he must be pretty boss.

"It's a good idea to keep your enemies close, but it's your choice," he said. "If you're not allying with them, though, you'd better keep a low profile. Don't let them think you think you're too good for them."

That seemed like solid advice. I guess Jonah knew what he was talking about.

"You'll still want supplies from the Cornucopia, though. Here's what you'll have to do…"

* * *

Sarla Mondins POV

I sat next to our only Victor, Soleil Pere. She won just two years ago by starting a forest fire in the pine-filled arena and jumping into a lake. She was only fourteen then, so she was almost my age now. She seemed more like a classmate than a mentor.

"I already know I can't do anything," I said. "Daniel will take care of me, though."

"Then I guess you'd better stay close to him. And don't run into the Bloodbath, not that you looked like you were planning to," she said.

"You were only fourteen when you won. Do you have any advice for someone so little like me?" I asked.

"Stay under the radar and use what you have," she said. "Anything can happen in the Games. Sometimes a Career wins, and sometimes whoever happened to be in a tree when the volcano blows wins."

"You'd better go help Daniel," I said. "He actually knows how to fight and stuff."

She got up to go.

"Just don't lose hope. You're not dead yet," she said.

* * *

Harvey Willis POV

District 6 only had one Victor: Toby Cash. That was probably since I hadn't been in the Games yet. He was a fat older man whose hair was already starting to fall out. I made a note to make sure to win. He was making us look bad.

"So I figure I should run into the Cornucopia and find something long range," I said.

"How fast can you run?" he asked.

"Fast enough," I said.

"You willing to bet your life?" he asked.

Suddenly I wasn't sure.

* * *

Ever Fellows POV

I wasn't quite sure about sitting next to Sequoia Wilson. She was almost six feet tall and looked like she could break me in half. Then there was the fact that she could kill a fly twenty feet away with a throw of her hatchet.

"So, you good at throwing hatchets?" she asked.

"I can throw knives," I said.

"It'll do. Hatchets are heavier, though, so get used to that," she said.

"Should I work on my fitness or anything?" I asked.

"Good question. Don't worry about muscle. If the others catch you it's too late. We'll focus on running. You're gonna run like you've never run before."

I smiled. That would be a piece of cake.

* * *

Caldwell Brax POV

District 8 had two Victors. That meant there was a man who could sit next to me and talk. I wished he wasn't there.

"What are you good at?" he asked me.

"I like to count things," I told him.

"Oh, so you're a quick thinker?" He asked. "You good at running or fighting?"

"No," I said.

He nodded.

"I see. Well then, you'd better just keep your distance. As soon as the Games begin run straight away from the Bloodbath. Focus on finding a shelter and water," he said.

I could do that.

* * *

Heidi Garrett POV

District 9 didn't have any Victors, so I was out of luck. As soon as Miller found the meal cart I was free of him, so I sat and watched the scenery go by.

I took stock of my skills. I could cook. _Great, maybe the Careers will hire you. _But seriously, maybe I could find some edible plants. I could use a kitchen knife, but I wasn't sure carving a loaf of bread was the same as carving a person. Maybe if I just flashed a few knives around in training the other kids would leave me alone.

There was one good thing about not having a mentor. It left me free to explore the train. I'd never been on a train before. If I was going to die in a few days, I might as well have a little fun.

* * *

Jean Roberts POV

"I can run, I can fight, and I can win," I told Cornflower. She stared at the edge of my face and listened quietly.

"That's good. Sounds like you know what to do," she said.

"Don't you have any advice?" I asked.

"Not really."

"But you're a Victor," I said.

"I happened to find shelter and it happened to be freezing. You're better off than I was- I was- I was," she said. She suddenly flinched and clapped her hands to her head.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I'll be all right. I'll be all right," she said.

"It's okay. Why don't you just take it easy? We can train more at the Capitol," I said.

Cornflower scurried away. I saw Fluvius guiding her toward a sleeping car.

Maybe I just wouldn't spend too much time with my mentor. I had a feeling she'd make me less likely to win. I didn't need her anyway. I wasn't the best here- I know that- but I have skills, and used right they can help me. Trust me, I'm going to use them.

* * *

Peppermint POV

Orchard Angelou turned out to be a pretty cool lady. I was scared to meet her at first- she _did _win the very first Hunger Games, after all- but she was nice. She was certainly intimidating to look at, though. She was a foot taller than me and she had shiny skin as dark as the fancy wood the Reaping stage was made of. I wished Apollo was with me, but District 11 had three Victors, so he was off with one of the men.

"Do what you have to. Destroy whoever tries to hurt you," she said.

That wasn't encouraging.

"What was it like, being in the first Games?" I asked.

"At first nobody fought, and they sent in Peacekeepers. They mowed half of us down with their guns, and the rest of us scattered. Then I decided I wasn't going to lay down and die, so I found them all one by one and squeezed the life out of them," she said.

"You killed them _all?" _I asked. That seemed pretty impressive.

"The Peacekeepers killed twelve, and seven more died of dehydration. The rest were easy prey," she said softly.

I didn't want to remind her about it any more.

"What should I do for my Games?" I asked.

"The kids won't be so easy this time," she said. "You're lucky you have an ally. Work together. Start with the weakest and let the strong grow weaker," she said.

I wasn't sure I was as intense as she thought I was, but I'd try my best.

* * *

Aspen Matthews POV

Twelve didn't have any Victors, so Valerie and I sat next to each other as the train moved along.

"Wanna be allies?" I asked her.

"We're already district partners," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but wanna really be allies?" I asked again. "We already know each other, and we get along."

"Sure, I guess. Strength in numbers, right?" she said.

"Think we should go into the Cornucopia?" I asked.

"I dunno… I'm not really a killer," she said.

"Oh really? I've seen the way you talk in school. You're ruthless, girl. You'll kill everyone by gossip alone."

Valerie smiled, and I smiled back. We'd get through this on a joke and a prayer.

* * *

**Four Things:**

**1\. Orchard is a total boss. I didn't even try to think up a ton of mentors. I just started writing and she turned out to be a complete BA.**

**2\. Acee has a sister named Deecee. Thought everyone should know that.**

**3\. I made up the number of Victors each district has, so if there are inconsistencies, c'est la vie.**

**4\. Oops, forgot to use Hyden. He IS a Victor. He's just mentoring this year. He's... on vacation.**


	18. The Price of Beauty

**This chapter is another series of snippets from the characters who didn't get a POV last chapter. Not all the chapters will be in this format, but it seemed to fit here. I tried to capture various stages of the preparation for the Parade. Next chapter will have a different POV entirely.**

* * *

Royal Spinel POV

The Capitol was a nice place to visit, but I was glad I didn't live there. It looks like it will have some top-notch training rooms, at least. Azure was cool enough. I'd seen him around the District before he left for the Games, but I was pretty young then. There was just something off about the Capitol. Back in 1, things were luxurious and all, but we had _class. _The Capitol was tacky. There was no way around it. Everything lit up, everything was sprayed with glitter, everyone seemed to be trying to be more bombastic than the next…

I was about to meet my stylists and get ready for the Parade. I had a feeling they were going to be even worse.

* * *

Venus POV

What a waste of time. What a colossal, enormous waste of time.

I was ready to hit the training room and see what the trainers had to offer, and here I was stuck getting poked and prodded and slathered and powdered by a bunch of silly old buzzards.

I wasn't sure I could until the Games started to kill someone.

* * *

Spencer POV

At first I wasn't sure about a bunch of people I didn't know dressing me up like a doll. That was before I discovered my razor-sharp fashion sense. I grew up wearing the same boring brown shirt and pants every day. When I saw the rooms packed full of tailored jackets, silk and satin button-up shirts, and more different types of ties than I could count, I thought I'd found heaven.

Then I saw the hair salon, and I knew.

* * *

Celestial POV

"Four has lots of water, right?" I heard my head stylist Rouge say to Kohl, one of her assistants. "I was thinking we'd make her into an icicle. What do you think?" she asked, turning to me.

"It doesn't really get cold much back home," I said.

"Oh," she said, and she drooped a little. "What do you have?"

I looked at my token.

"We have otters."

* * *

Daniel POV

Right after my insane stylist Blush finally managed to remove all of my clothes, I realized Sarla was going through the exact same thing. I leapt off the table and ran for the door.

"You can't go to the parade like _that!" _Blush protested as he ran after me.

"Gimme my pants! I ain't letting you lunatics accost my sister!" I said.

"She's probably already dressed. _Some _people aren't impossible to work with," Blush said.

I figured it wouldn't help her to have her buck naked brother storm to her rescue, so I sat back down on the table and glared daggers at Blush as he finished. I think it was the fastest he ever dressed anyone.

* * *

Astra POV

"What on Earth is this?" I asked my stylists as they finished my outfit. I'd already endured scrubs, pluckings, tweezers, makeup, and all sorts of horrors. This was just insult to injury.

"It's your outfit, silly!" my stylist Puff said.

"But what is it?" I repeated.

"It" was a weird gray blanket-like wrap that she tied on to me like a towel cape. She triumphantly topped my head with a headband covered in different shapes.

"It's _abstract," _she said, explaining nothing.

Last year the tributes from Six were dressed as the engine and caboose of a train, so things could be worse. I looked at my outfit and realized with horror that my stylist was actually improving.

* * *

Timber POV

"I don't wanna take a bath! NO, NO, NO!" I yelled as my three stylists wrestled with my shirt.

"But you're _filthy! _You can't have people see you like this!" Truffle said. She pulled my shirt over my head, muffling my protests.

After an epic battle, we decided I would take a bath still wearing my underwear. I was _not _about to let a bunch of ladies see me naked.

"It's nothing we haven't seen before," Cocoa sniffed. I folded my arms and said nothing. I continued sitting with my legs folded and my arms crossed as my stylists added powders and flower petals and junk to the water. It actually was the best bath I'd ever had. But I didn't want to take a bath.

* * *

Alayzea Mont POV

It was hideous.

I looked like a giant freaking sewing needle. I could assume Caldwell was wrapped in miles of thread like a fat caterpillar.

"_No," _I said to my head stylist, Baste.

"What's wrong? You look marvelous," he said.

"Take it off. Take it all off. You are the worsts stylists I have ever met," I said.

Baste looked like he'd failed his glorious ancestors. He dismantled the costume and stared at me as I stood in a white slip.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do…" I began. I took things over from there.

* * *

Miller POV

I looked good enough to eat.

More specifically, I looked like a giant loaf of bread. My stylist took one look at me and decided to break out his "husky" design. According to him, I was the perfect shape. There was only one thing that bothered me.

"Hey, you guys got any snacks around here?"

* * *

Bree POV

My stylists sure were nice. They guided me through everything and before I knew it I looked prettier than fresh butter. I couldn't wait to see what kind of outfit they had for me. Last year I remembered watching Leather and Cornflower in their black-and-white cow outfits. The year before that, the two tributes wore black-and-white cow outfits. Come to think of it, for the last five years it had been the same outfits.

"Are you ready?" Mint called as she rummaged in a closet.

"I'm ready! What am I wearing?" I answered excitedly.

She exited the closet and held up my outfit.

It was a black and white cow dress.

* * *

Apollo POV

I knew from the start my stylists and I weren't going to get along.

"I was talking to your sister's stylist Pecan," Filay began. "She and I think that since you're twins… you should dress alike!" He said this like it was a completely innovative idea.

I rolled my eyes. We got over that stage when we were three.

"Like, in the same clothes? I don't know if we'll fit," I said solemnly. I was sure that at this point he couldn't get any dumber.

"No, in matching outfits!" Filay said.

And with that, he proved me wrong.

* * *

Valerie POV

_Ow, ow, ow, ow…_

I was not aware I had so many things wrong with my body. Every hair got ripped from every piece of skin on me. My eyebrows were savaged until they looked like they were drawn on. I was dropped into three separate tubs filled with soaps, perfumes, and moisturizers. If I hadn't watched the whole thing happening on the wall mirrors, I wouldn't have recognized myself.

As I was gingerly toweling off and trying not to touch anything with my tender skin, my stylist, Cuisine, smiled at me and said the words that stopped my heart.

"And now the fun part begins!"


	19. Parade

"_Good morning, Panem!"_

"I'm Polyphemus Ignotus, and _this _is the annual Hunger Games Tribute Parade! It's a day of style, of drama, of action, intrigue and celebration! Let's see some tributes!"

"There's the drums! The gates are opening! Here they come! District 1 leads the way. Royal is dressed in a dazzling suit just covered in shining blue gems. Next to him is Valencia, heating up the runway in a daring sheer red dress with a plunging neckline. It's absolutely drenched in brilliant rubies, except a few key areas to show the sponsors she's worth their time! Royal is raising a fist, daring anyone to challenge him. Valencia is blowing sultry kisses to the adoring crowd."

"District 2 won't be outdone. Venus is wearing a fierce-looking suit of smooth black stone. Thompson matches her. He holds a bow, and she a clutch of arrows. They both have dramatic black eyeliner and spiked sleeves. They hold the bow and arrow together overhead, showing everyone they're ready to fight."

"District 3 never fails to _light _up the Parade, am I right, folks? Spencer's wearing… oh, it's a bunch of twisting wires. _That's _original. I don't know what his stylist was thinking. Obviously she wasn't thinking at all. His hair looks great, though. How did they manage to make it light up like that? He waves at the crowd, owning his ridiculous outfit. Somehow he makes it shine. Hailey's more of the same. The stylists must have collaborated, unfortunately for us. Let's move on."

"District 4's obviously a different story. Dane is wearing a woven green shirt and blue pants that seem to flow like the water from his home. What is… what is Celestial _wearing? _It's some sort of brown fur suit with a wide, rounded tail. Is she a beaver? She seems to love her outfit. She's wagging her tail and running her hands over her furry belly. I guess beavers do live in 4… Maybe this is the start of a new trend. I, for one, hope not."

"Next we have the brother and sister from 5. Daniel's dressed in a flaming orange suit lined with lights that make him blaze like the sun. Oh, he must be solar power! His little sister Sarla is wearing a green jumpsuit that glows with an unearthly light. She must be nuclear power! Oh, that's clever!" It's a little hard to tell, since she's hiding behind Daniel.

"District 6 is… oh, Panem preserve us. Astra is wearing an odd caftan-like wrap dripping with silver glitter. Her head is crowned in a retro headband decorated with shapes in primary colors. What does that have to do with transportation? I have no idea, folks. She doesn't, either- she's hiding her face behind her hands. Harvey is dressed as the caboose of a train. I have a feeling there are some very angry stylists backstage."

"District 7's been in a bit of a rut recently. Let's see what they have this time. Ever's dressed in a forest green dress with long sleeves and a bracelet made of leaves. The bottom of the dress swirls out into brown roots. Timber's dressed like… a lumberjack. Clever. He has his arm around her waist, which seems odd. Trees and lumberjacks don't tend to get along. It's an improvement, at least. I know thousands of Capitol ladies who would die for that dress."

"8's stylist have the easiest job. It's the textile district, after all. Alayzea's wearing a purple ball gown made of voluminous satin and tulle. I'm not sure about the connection, but it _is _made of fabric. She's waving at the crowd with a beaming smile. Caldwell is wearing some sort of spool hat, and he's wound up with yards and yards of red thread. Suddenly Alayzea doesn't look so bad. What is he doing? He's holding the end of the thread and running it through his fingers. He's just doing that over and over."

"All right, let's move on to District 9! This is what I'm talking about, folks! Heidi radiates in a goldenrod sundress accented with woven stalks of grain. A crown of the same woven stalks finishes the outfit beautifully. Looks like it doesn't feel quite as good as it looks. She's smiling and waving, but her other hand is itching constantly. Miller is… a loaf of bread. I did not expect that. The butter pat hat really makes the outfit."

"I know I can always depend on District 10. Let's not count them out, though. Maybe… nope, they're cows. Jean and Bree wear matching black-and-white spotted outfits. Jean's headpiece has long, curved horns, while Bree's has short, hooked ones. Do lady cows even have horns? The cow bell necklace she has is new. How have they never thought of that before?"

"District 11 is a picture of the idyllic farm life. Peppermint has on a blue checkered dress and darling black heels. Her hair is braided around her head just like the settlers in the old days. Apollo has khaki pants and a matching checkered shirt. There's trouble in paradise, though. Peppermint's arms are folded and she's scowling at the floor of the chariot. Apollo is pointedly looking away, but it's no use. We can all tell he's putting out a herculean effort not to laugh. That's brotherly love, right there."

"District 12 brings us a fresh twist on an old classic. Aspen's mining outfit is sleeveless and the pants are cut short. His hair is spiked straight up and sprinkled with gold dust. It must be a productive day in the mines! The whole getup shimmers with embroidered sequins. The boy's face is so clean in shines, except the parts smudged with coal dust. Valerie's mining gear is covered with sunny yellow canaries. They even flap! She seems nervous about this whole thing. She's looking at the ground and her arms are tucked behind her back. Oh, goodness! Aspen just made a _ridiculous _face. Oh, goodness. He's keeping it up. They've reached the end of the parade, and he's still keeping that face. I can't make this stuff up."

The chariots are gathered around the podium, waiting for President Galba. Oh, there she is! She's a portrait of regal magnificence. The crowd falls silent, and she begins to speak."

"Tributes of Panem, we salute you," she began. "To the Victor, we salute his or her triumph. To those who fall, we salute your valor and sacrifice. All of Panem supports you, and we know you will not let us down. Go in strength, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

"She's a lady of few words, ladies and gents. President Gable prefers to speak softly and carry a big stick. There's really nothing I can add to that, so that's a wrap. It's been a great day here at the Parade, and I can't wait to see what the Games have in store."

* * *

**Notes:**

**1\. I forgot that in my last fanfic I said all the girls from 10 wore cowgirl outfits. Just... pretend you never heard that.**

**2\. Celeste is dressed as an otter. Polyphemus doesn't know what he's talking about.**

**3\. I decided to write this from the POV of the announcer since it would shake things up. Polyphemus' job is basically just to describe the Parade for people who for some reason can't see it. Maybe they're in the mines and have to listen to a radio or something.**


	20. Training

**Warning! There is a swear word in this chapter. I know that's not as bad as a bunch of kids killing each other, but I don't do swear words. It was totally necessary for the line, though.**

* * *

Royal POV

_All right, they have spears! Wait a minute. Of course they have spears, idiot._

I picked up a spear and threw it at the farthest dummy. It sank straight into its head. I smiled.

"Oh, Royal, that was magnificent!" Valencia chirped. She gazed at me with wide eyes.

_Yeah, yeah. Keep dreaming, girl, _I thought. I'm not such a musclehead I can't tell when I'm getting buttered up. She _is _right, though, and I can live with someone pointing out my excellence.

"I can show you how to do it if you'd like," I said. I wouldn't show her _all _the tricks, of course, but I didn't think I had to worry too much.

She squealed as I positioned myself behind her. I laid my hand on her back and steadied her as she drew the spear back. She threw it awkwardly and it just grazed the dummy's leg.

"Great job!" I told her. "Keep practicing."

I kept my hand on her back for another moment and lowered it as I drew back. It felt almost good enough to make me care.

* * *

Valencia POV

I wasn't sure where to start. I knew hand-to-hand wasn't for me, and if I showed the other Careers what I was like with a spear they might not let me into their alliance at all. I settled on following Royal around under the pretense that we were "working together". After I paid him a few choice compliments he offered to show me how to throw a spear.

_Let's see what you got, Royal. Wouldn't it just be fitting if I killed you with your own spear? _I thought as I prepared to throw. Royal's hand pressed lightly against my back. I don't know much about spears, but I knew that was lower than it needed to be. Perfect.

I threw the spear. It barely hit the dummy.

_Rats. Valencia, it's a good thing you're pretty._

Royal slid his hand down my back before he stepped away. I pretended not to notice. I have my modesty, after all.

After that I went back to watching him. I was learning more that way anyway. Besides, watching those muscles in motion was the best show I'd seen in ages. Pity he didn't have the brains to go with them.

* * *

Thompson POV

I was so ready for this. As soon as the door opened and I saw all the stations laid out, I was in paradise. I wasn't even sure where to start.

Royal and Valencia staked out the spear-throwing station, so I started with the swords. After a little review, I was beating even the advanced sparring partners. I made sure we made enough noise that the other tributes would notice us. I had to put the outliers in their place.

I moved on to the throwing knives. They were a little harder, so I moved on pretty quick. Throwing knives were for girls anyway. The wrestling station was more a man's game. With my new tips from Crag it was a piece of cake to throw a few attendants around the ring.

I headed for the knife fighting station. The rube from 10 was already there, but that was no bother.

"Hey redneck, shove off. The big boys need to train," I said. He glared at me.

"If I see any big boys, I'll move," he said.

I couldn't believe he was speaking to me that way. I grabbed a knife off the table and pointed it at him.

"Better watch your mouth, 10," I said.

"10? You know why they call it District 2? Because everyone there's full of shit," he spat.

That was it. I snarled and slashed at him before I could even think about it. It sliced a long cut down his arm, and blood pumped out faster than I thought possible.

Chaos swept through the entire training room. The knife station attendant gasped and ripped off her shirt to press against 10's wound. Two Peacekeepers ran into the room and grabbed the knife out of my hands. They dragged me out of the room and I found myself facing a very angry Crag Steiner.

I smiled sheepishly up at him. At least I'd made an impression.

* * *

Venus POV

I quickly settled at the knife-throwing station and before ten seconds had passed all five mannequins were dotted with blades. I was dismayed to see other girls trickling in and picking up knives, but I stuck around to see what they could do. Some of them weren't half bad, and I made a note to keep an eye on them.

Before too long the station was too crowded for my tastes, so I left to wander around and try to pick up a few new skills. I happened across the survival station and stopped there for a minute. Since I was a Career I didn't anticipate the need to make a shelter or things like that, but it never hurt to be prepared.

As it turned out, I was not cut out to be a homemaker. I made precisely one shelter that didn't immediately collapse, and as soon as the attendant turned on the rain I got soaked. I did learn how to build a fire, though. Since last year's arena was cold, this one would probably be warmer, but it might help for cauterizing wounds or something.

A shriek of pain caught my attention and I whirled around to see the boy from 10 clutching his bloodied arm.

_My word, are you _that _incompetent? _I thought, before I noticed a familiar face standing next to him holding a knife.

_Oh Thompson. I can't leave you alone for five minutes._

* * *

Hailey POV

I stood dangling from the rope course hanging from the training room ceiling, watching everyone else at their stations. I figured since I wasn't the strongest girl around I should learn to avoid the others, and it was easier to see what was going on up here.

I found myself thinking of Acee's advice, and I looked around to see if I could find a weapon. Surely I could make a snare out of all this rope, but I'd never made a snare in my life. I'd probably end up hanging myself. Then something in the corner of the ceiling caught my eye.

It was a metal screw that helped fasten the rope to the wall. I tried to twist it out, but it was stuck tight- which was probably a good thing. I tucked my hand under my shirt and used the fabric to provide grip. Back home we dealt with sticky machinery all the time. The screw slowly twisted loose. The rope sagged a little, but the other screws held it up.

I looked at the screw in my hand. It didn't look like much. I ran it across my arm and felt it scratching at the skin. Maybe if I pressed really hard…

_What if I stuck it in someone's eye?_

I didn't know where such a nasty thought came from, and it made me shutter. But I was on to something. I held the screw up in front of my face and imagined sticking it straight into a soft eyeball.

There really were weapons everywhere.

* * *

Spencer POV

I sprinted past the track attendant, and he clicked a stopwatch.

"Six minutes, twenty-one seconds," he said.

I panted and bent with my hands on my knees. It wasn't a bad time- it was really a very good time for a mile. But it wasn't fast enough for me, and I knew the first crucial seconds required short-distance spurts.

"How… can I… improve my short distance performance?" I managed between pants.

"The best way is by interval training," the attendant said. "Sprint as fast as you can for as long as you can. When you can't go that fast any longer, jog until you can sprint again."

I forced my legs back into top speed and began again. Halfway through the mile I'd asked another attendant to wait for me. The first attendant stopped the timer while we sparred. I figured I wouldn't be at peak condition in the Games, so I'd better get used to fighting while exhausted.

I neared the sparring partner, and he got into position. I winced.

It may be a great way to train, but that didn't make it any less painful.

* * *

Dane POV

I spent an hour or two at the weight station gauging my strength before I left for the hand-to-hand station. I asked for a medium-level sparring partner.

After I threw him to the ground three times, he held up his hands.

"Kid, you're above my level. Please, get one of the experts," he said.

_Really? _I'd trained for this and all, but I thought I was pretty low-level for a Career.

I took up a fighting stance and faced my new partner, a woman who was built like a panther. She waited for me to make the first move.

I feinted a punch and dodged when she countered me with a spinning kick. I jumped back and watched her, hoping to find a weakness. Whenever she advanced, I dodged backwards. I didn't have a plan yet, and I didn't want to just rush in.

"Kid, it's obvious you fight crane style," she said after I dodged her yet another time. "That's fine. It just means I need to adjust my teaching."

"What's crane style?" I asked.

"It means you prefer to defend rather than attack. Work on using that to your advantage. Let your opponent tire himself out trying to hit you, and then strike when he's exhausted."

Honestly, I'd rather not fight at all, at least not the Careers. Her way seemed perfect for me.

She sprang forward and cuffed me right upside the head. It hurt like a lightning bolt, but I kept my head and rolled with it.

"Good job. Don't let your guard down, though. Not everyone pulls their punches," she said.

* * *

Celestial POV

I didn't feel ready to use a knife, even against an assistant, so I found myself at the fishing station. I knew there wouldn't be otters in the arena, but I knew how to make normal lures anyway. I practiced weaving nets and making lures with the materials they provided. Then I realized I might not have nice neat strings in the Arena.

"Can you show me how to make rope?" I asked the fishing attendant.

"You'd be better off trying the survival station," he said. He pointed out the way.

I found my way over and asked the attendant there. He brought out some branches and showed me how to strip off the bark and twist it into rough ropes. My fingers were full of slivers and I cut off my circulation a few times, but I managed to make two serviceable fishing lines. I could probably use them as nooses, too, but I tried not to think about that.

I noticed a station covered in paints and brushes, and I knew that was the place for me.

"Excuse me, what's this station?" I asked.

"This is the camouflage station. I know it seems odd, but sometimes it means the difference between life or death," the attendant told me. She was a slight lady with dark skin and blue eyes. She also had purple hair, but I didn't think that was natural.

"Can I paint something?" I asked.

"You can paint whatever you want, but I suggest you try to make it blend in," she said. "It won't help if you paint a giant rainbow on your head."

I started by covering a red ball with green and brown paint so it would blend in a forest. Then I covered a canteen with tan paint so it looked just like sand.

I tried painting on myself, but the angle was awkward.

"You can start with me, if you'd like," the attendant said.

"You?" I asked.

"That's what I'm here for," she said. She whipped off her shirt and pants like it was nothing, and she stood in front of me without a stitch of clothing on.

I covered my eyes in horror.

"You can't… you're… _naked!" _I managed.

"Well then you'd better cover me up," she said. I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw she had stood up a thin backdrop painted like a snowy cliff.

I couldn't imagine touching a naked lady, but I was more horrified by the thought of leaving her naked. I grabbed a jar of white paint and got to work.

* * *

Daniel POV

I dropped Sarla off at the survival station and started for the sword station. I didn't know how to fight or anything, but I had to defend Sarla, so I figured I'd better learn. I asked for the beginning assistant. The attendant showed me how to hold a sword to defend my whole body, how to position my feet so I'd be balanced, and how to do a basic parry and thrust. I was no swordsman, but it was a start.

I wandered from one weapon station to another and learned the basics for using a spear, a dagger, and bow and arrows, a mace, a mace on a chain, and throwing knives. I liked the sword the best, so I went back there and practiced with the attendant.

I kept my eye on Sarla all the while, and she seemed to stay at the survival and edible plant stations. Then I looked up after a sparring session and she was gone.

"Sarla?" I called. I trotted around the training room looking for her.

I finally found her at the alternative weapons station. She was holding a strip of fabric with a metal ball in it. She whirled it around and hit a cutout of a squirrel.

"What are you doing?" I asked her. "You don't need to learn a weapon. I'll take care of you."

"I just thought… you know, in case we can't find each other at first," she said.

"Well, all right, but be careful. You'll put an eye out," I said.

"Don't worry. I'll be careful," she said. She hugged me.

I hated seeing my little sister using a weapon, but there was something else I hated even more.

Someday, she might have to.

* * *

Sarla POV

Daniel shooed me into the survival station while he went over to learn the weapons. I guess he didn't want me to see him learning to hurt people, and I didn't want to see it either. The problem was, there were only so many plants and shelters to learn about. In a few hours, I knew how to make shelters for six different environments, and the plants were easy enough.

_Maybe I should see what weapons they have, _I thought. _No, Daniel's got this, and if he's gone, I'm dead meat. I can't even pick up some of those swords._

I nonchalantly walked over to the alternative weapons station.

_I'll just see what they have, _I told myself.

There were some mighty bizarre weapons in the world. There was a long stick. I picked it up and took a look, but that's all it was. Just a stick. There was a whip, but that was more for the tributes from 10. There was a sort of sharpened plate that looked like it would cut my fingers off if I tried to throw it.

"Looking for something?" the attendant asked.

"I need something that is light, easy to use, easy to find, and good for a girl who isn't very strong," I said.

"I have just the thing," she said. She handed me a square of fabric.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Rip off a strip, like this," she said. She tore off a thin strip of fabric.

I ripped off another strip and held it up. It didn't look very deadly.

"Now you have a sling," she said. She handed me a metal ball about the size of a walnut.

"Let me show you," she said. She loaded another ball into her strip and whirled it over her head. She let go of one end of the fabric and the ball flew into a metal cutout of a squirrel, knocking it over.

I loaded my sling and tried to twirl it like she did. When I let go it just twisted into itself.

"It's all right. Try again," the attendant said. I kept trying, and soon I could actually make the ball go toward my target.

Usually I missed the cutouts by a mile, but I got a little closer each time. Finally, I hit a raccoon cutout square on, and it fell right over.

I smiled and reloaded my sling. If only Daniel could see me now.

* * *

Harvey POV

Things were not going as quickly as I'd hoped. I started at the sword station, but that turned out to not be my thing. Among the other things that were not my thing were daggers, throwing knives, survival skills, spears, and clubs.

In desperation, I headed for the snare-making station. My hands seemed to get tangled up every time I picked up a rope, but with snares, I could take them apart and try again. It seemed like a better plan to hunt tributes from afar than to face them in close combat.

When I got bored of that I circled the room and watched everyone else train. Even if I wasn't good at whatever they were doing, at least I could learn what they were good at and try to avoid those situations. For example, the first thing I learned was never to be within throwing distance of Venus.

I was pleased to see a few other tributes seemed as lost as I was. At least I wasn't alone.

I noticed a movement overhead and looked up. The girl from 3 was lying on the rope course peering down on us all. Looks like she had the same idea as me. I'd have to keep an eye on her just like she was keeping an eye on me.

* * *

Astra POV

Venus didn't seem happy to see me at the knife-throwing station, but it was the only weapon I was passably good at. I watched her spear a mannequin's eye three times from halfway across the room and tried not to feel too inadequate.

"You need some help?" one of the assistants asked. I nodded.

"The most important thing in knife throwing is to gauge the distance of the target and the length of the knife. It's important to know how many rotations you have to make. Any more than seven is very difficult," he said.

I tried to visualize a train of knives laid out between me and my target. I started with three, and within a few hours I was hitting the target more than half the time. I alternated between throwing by the blade and by the handle, but the blade produced better results, so I settled on that.

I moved back a pace and tried for four rotations. The knife spiraled toward the target and hit an inch away from the head.

I smiled. Maybe I wasn't as good as Venus, but soon I'd be good enough. And that was all it took.

* * *

**Wow, longest chapter I've ever written! Next chapter will be the kids from 7-12. **

**If you sent in a mentor and I haven't mentioned him or her, he or she is still in the story. They just haven't done anything yet.**

**In general, the outliers got longer sections than the Careers because the Careers don't gain much from training. They already know.**


	21. Training 2

Ever POV

I ran around the track, keeping an eye on Spencer. He seemed to be focused on speed, and I was in it for the long haul- I knew I was fast enough to escape the bloodbath.

I was having trouble keeping count, but I knew I'd done at least ten laps, and I was ready for ten more. My unique trajectory meant I could see everything that was happening in the room. I saw a few kids making fire or shelters, one girl making fishing line, and a whole bunch of tributes clustered around the weapons stations. As I ran past the knife throwing station I glared at Venus. Whenever she caught me so much as glancing at her knives she shot me a look of pure disdain.

_She thinks she's the only one that knows her way around a knife? _I thought. I remembered my mentor's words about focusing on my running, but she just burned me up.

_Why not both?_

As my latest lap brought me close to the knife station, I snatched a knife off the table. Venus was retrieving her latest volley, so she didn't notice. I continued until I reached the starting line and approached the attendant.

"Excuse me, do you have any targets you can put on the wall or something?" I asked.

"Targets? I suppose," she said. She left the track and rummaged around behind the knife throwing station. She came back with a paper bullseye and pinned it to the wall by the starting line.

Now I had even more motivation. Every time I finished a lap I hurled my knife at the target. I never missed.

* * *

Timber POV

"Hey, you mind if I train with you?" I asked the girl from 5. She was sitting at the shelter-making station working on a thatched hut.

"Sure, I guess," she said. "I'm Sarla."

"I'm Timber," I said. "Guess we're the youngest ones around. That kind of sucks."

"Yeah. At least I have Daniel. Maybe you're so little the others will forget about you," she said.

"I hope so," I said. I started to help her weave stalks of some thin plant into the walls of her shelter.

"So you're only thirteen?" she asked me.

"Yeah. I'll be fourteen on the first day of the Games. Lucky me," I said.

"Happy birthday. You know, in case we don't see each other," she said.

We finished the walls and took a look at our hut. It looked pretty sturdy.

"Let's test it out," I said. "You go inside and I'll get the hose. Then we'll see if it's waterproof."

Sarla crawled into the hut and I asked the attendant for the hose. I aimed it at the walls and turned it on.

"Is it on?" Sarla asked.

"It's on," I said.

"It worked! It's dry in here!" she said.

"Really? Let me see!" I said. I handed the hose to the attendant and crawled in with her. I heard the rain patter on the roof, but inside it was dry as a bone. It was a tight squeeze with me and Sarla in there, but we could make do.

We lay on our stomachs and peeked out at the other tributes. They didn't even notice us. We were in our own perfect little fort, tucked away from the world and the Games. Few a few minutes, we weren't Tributes at all. We were just two little kids, and it was wonderful.

* * *

Alayzea POV

I let my arrow fly, and it thudded into place half a foot from the target.

_Stupid bow. It must be broken, _I thought. I moved to the spear station. Dane was already there, but I squeezed in with him. I picked up the nearest spear and threw it.

_Stupid spears are just as bad, _I thought.

I'd had enough of broken weapons after that, so I moved on to the edible plants station. Hopefully they didn't mess those up too.

"Would you like to learn about plants?" the attendant asked.

"Lay off, grannie. I got this," I said. She pursed her lips and said nothing. I quickly separated the poisonous plants from the good ones. Plants are easy, like most things for me.

"You got them all," the attendant said.

"Yeah. Thanks," I said modestly. I might not be able to use their broken weapons, but at least I wouldn't go hungry.

* * *

Caldwell POV

The only station completely empty was the snare station. That seemed like the place for me. I'm good with sequences and order, so knot-making was my sort of thing. The attendant there was very enthusiastic. He walked me through every step of every knot and snare, even though I was usually ahead of him.

I'd already seen all the ones the attendant showed me, so I started making a snare of my own. I tied a loop around a branch of a model tree at the station and used the same rope to make another loop on the ground. I connected a few more ropes with sturdy knots and it was ready. If my design was correct, a tribute that triggered the trap by walking into the rope would trigger the loop on the ground to ensnare his legs. Then the more he struggled, the more the other ropes would tighten.

There was only one way to find out. I yanked on the rope.

The loop snapped shut around my legs. I tumbled to the ground and the other ropes wound around me. I thrashed around and soon I couldn't move an inch.

It was perfect.

* * *

Heidi POV

I spent a few minutes at the dagger station. After watching the Careers go to town, I figured that should probably be a last resort. The edible plant station came next. The old lady there was really cool. She told me all these old stories, like why the holly berries were red. Apparently these two people fell in love, then one got eaten by a lion, so the other one killed himself and the blood made the berries red. The really sad part was the lion didn't eat the lady after all, so she came back and her man was dead.

As interesting as the stories were, I knew they wouldn't help me in the Arena, so I thanked the lady for helping me and did a few laps on the track. I wasn't the fastest one there, but I was pretty far up, especially for such a slight girl.

As I lay on the ground recovering, I noticed a rope course hanging from the ceiling. I climbed trees all the time back home. Maybe the arena would be a cliff or something like last year. Climbing might really come in handy.

There was a rope ladder that went to the top of the course, but I clambered up the plain rope instead to build my strength. Since I was so light, it was easier than it would be for most of the tributes. As I was climbing, I noticed another girl on the course.

"Hey," I called. She looked up.

It was Hailey, the girl from 3.

"Hey," she called back.

"What you got there?" I asked when I saw she was holding something.

"I found a screw. I was seeing if I could use it as a weapon," she said.

"I hope I never have to," I said. I didn't know if I could.

"I hope I never have to either," she said.

We both looked at the screw for a minute. Then Hailey clenched her fist around it and threw it across the room. I couldn't see where it landed, and I was happy about it. When I looked back at Hailey, I could tell she was too.

* * *

Miller POV

"What's this, a sample table?" I asked when I saw the table covered in bowls filled with leaves and berries.

"Be careful which one you pick," the old lady standing by it said. "Some of them might come back to bite you."

What kind of buffet has rancid food? I picked up a white berry.

"You'd be better served picking a red or blue one. Most yellow or white berries are poisonous," the lady said.

I shrugged and scooped up a handful of blue berries. I popped them in my mouth. They were sour and sticky, but they stayed down.

"Want to learn about some of the others?" the lady asked.

"Just the good ones. You can skip the gross ones," I said. And before I knew it, every edible plant on that table was gone.

* * *

Jean POV

I tried not to cry as a group of medics crowded around my arm and poured antiseptic on it. I heard them arguing about whether it would be fair to put stronger medicine on it. Eventually one came over and spread a salve on the wound.

"This will leave a scar, but we can remove it later if you win," he said.

They made me lie on a bed for a few hours while the salve set. I stared at it and realized just what the Games were. All those other children I mocked and derided were killers, and they were waiting for the chance to kill me. They'd watch me die as soon as eat breakfast. It was a terrible thought.

The door to my room opened, and Cornflower came in.

"They said I should come," she said. She sat by the bed and looked out the window.

"Cornflower?" I asked. She looked in my direction.

"How did you know you'd live?" I asked.

"I didn't," she said.

"Not even through the Bloodbath?" I asked, hoping she had a little comfort for me.

"I shouldn't have won. It was luck," she said.

"Did you see anyone die?" I asked. I knew she had- I'd watched her Games- but I needed to hear it from her.

"I watched the last other tribute freeze to death," she said.

"What was it like?" I asked.

"She was alive, and then she just wasn't," Cornflower said. "It was like nothing happened."

Like nothing? I can die and it will just be like nothing? I could die ten seconds after the Games started and everyone else would just go on. What was the point? Did I even matter?

I noticed I was crying, and then Cornflower noticed. She looked like boys usually do when their girlfriends cry.

"How do you go on? How do you know you matter? I wish… I wish I could die now and not let any of them kill me. I wish I didn't have to die for a war I never fought in," I said.

"You matter," Cornflower said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"You matter. That girl mattered. Everyone matters. We just do," she said. She said it so simply, like it was just a fact.

I looked at my mentor. She was so fragile and haunted. If she could go on, maybe I could too. Maybe I can't win. Maybe I'll die on the first day. I wanted a peaceful life, but I guess it was never in my cards. I can't even control how I'll die, but I won't bring anyone with me. I'll die as myself, and nobody can take that from me.

* * *

Bree POV

I knew I could throw a knife decently, but that station was pretty crowded. It wouldn't hurt to have a hidden skill, so I gave the track a shot. That didn't work out. I made it one lap before I was heaving. Spencer and Ever blazed past me like it was nothing. Guess I'd better hope they didn't come for me in the Bloodbath.

Last year the Arena was icy, so this year it would probably be warm. That meant I probably wouldn't need to make a shelter, unless it was desert. I took my chances and settled at the edible plant station. Heidi was there listening to the attendant tell a story. I listened with her and learned about plants from all sorts of environments, like cattails, pine bark, elderberries, and sumac. I also learned a few neat tricks to do with plants, like using vines to get water and picking stinging nettles to make tea without getting stung.

As I looked around the room I saw Sarla hugging her big brother. I thought of Nate, back home worrying about me. I wished he was here to protect me like Sarla's brother, but it was better that he was home to take care of the family. I'd just have to make sure to come home so he could see me again. District 10 wouldn't be the same without us making trouble.

* * *

Peppermint POV

I cried out as I hurled my sparring partner to the ground. She leapt back up and I punched her in the nose. She didn't even flinch, and she slammed into me, knocking me to the ground.

"Here Peppermint, try like this," Apollo said as he helped me up.

"If you hit just above the nose, your opponent will tear up and then she can't see you," he said. As feisty as I am, I have to admit he knows more about fighting than I do. Good thing we're working together.

"Good one, bro," I said. "I'm gonna hit up the javelin station for a while. You're doing better here anyway."

I was happy to see I was the only one at the station. Dane was next door at the spear station. I'd have to remember him and make sure to get to my weapon first if there was only one in the Cornucopia. Maybe I could have Apollo distract him while I ran for it.

I watched Apollo demolish two opponents at once. A few of the Careers had their eyes on him. I'd have to tell him to tone it down. No need to get a target on our backs.

I looked around the room. Most of the girls were practicing with throwing knives, and the boys were pretty evenly distributed. I was happy I was the only one that knew all the advantages a javelin had. Close up, it kept your opponent from reaching you. Far away, you could kill someone a hundred feet away.

Me and my javelin, we were going to tear the Arena apart.

* * *

Apollo POV

I liked fighting. Not that I liked hurting people, but fighting was all about instinct. I'd leave the navigating and planning to Peppermint. Together we'd be unstoppable.

_But what if you're the only two left?_

I had to face the idea eventually. I was the brother, so it was really my duty to take the fall, but Peppermint would probably kill me if I brought that up. She wasn't keen on chivalry. She preferred to do things herself. Maybe we could flip a coin, or a rock or whatever.

_What would happen if we just sat there and didn't kill each other?_

I knew it couldn't go on forever. Maybe they'd send a lightning strike or a forest fire.

There was really no solution. I couldn't hope that wasn't the case. Then one of us would die. I couldn't die for her- she'd never let me. I could never kill her. I guess the odds weren't in our favor.

* * *

Aspen POV

Coming from District 12, I had absolutely no skills that would help me in the Arena. I took a methodical approach and decided the best defense was a good offense. Swords and daggers were too intense, the throwing knives were taken, and the mace was just too icky. The archery station beckoned to me, and I picked up a bow.

"That's a pretty heavy one. If you're new, you should start with about a 35-pound pull," the attendant said. She handed me a simple bow made of a single piece of curved metal.

I picked it up and pulled the string back. I clumsily knocked an arrow to it and let it fly. It hit the edge of the station and wedged into a foam cushion.

"_Nailed _it!" I crowed. The attendant's lips cracked into a smile.

"It could have been worse. _Arch _you glad I didn't hit anyone?" I asked. That was it. The attendant cracked up and covered her mouth.

"That's a new one, kid," she said. "I hope by the time the Games start, you're as good with a bow as you are with your mouth."

* * *

Valerie POV

_Let's see, what am I good at? Going without food, I guess. There's something._

I knew Aspen was working on learning a weapon, so that took care of our defense. If I could last a week without food, that might be the whole Games.

_What about first aid?_

I looked around, and sure enough, there was a first aid station tucked into a dark corner of the room. It was staffed by a single forlorn-looking man watching all the other stations full of people.

I walked over, and he looked up at me with sudden hope.

"Can you show me some first aid stuff?" I asked.

I unleashed an avalanche. Soon I knew how to dress a wound, how to use aloe to treat a burn, how to cauterize a rotten wound with a burning branch, how to chew willow to help with pain, how to make bandages, casts, slings, litters, and tourniquets, and lots more. Between Aspen leading the attack and me cleaning up after, we had this Game in the bag.

* * *

**1\. Sorry Jean's is so much longer than everyone else's. His submitter gave me a complex story for his character development, so I'm trying to fit it in. If anyone else wants something like that, you can send it in.**

**2\. Miller's a joke. I think we all know it. He's a little over-the-top, but the Hunger Games can use a little comic relief. Rest assured I know he is completely unrealistic.**

**3\. I tried to include some moments to let people see that these are kids. They're not ready to kill people, and they don't even understand what they're getting into. If your tribute seems hesitant, that doesn't mean they'll die right away. Survival kicks in, but nobody likes what's happening here.**


	22. Private Sessions

Valerie POV

"You have five minutes."

I looked around the room. The only thing I was good at was first aid, and I didn't think an assistant was ready for me to cut up so I could heal her. I noticed a realistic dummy sprawled in one corner and flipped it over. It had a gaping mouth and closed eyes. That must be how I was supposed to show that sort of skill.

I pinched the dummy's nose and breathed into its mouth. Then I crossed my fingers just like the healing attendant showed me and pressed sharply on its chest. It didn't breath, of course, since it was a dummy, but the Gamemakers looked satisfied.

That took all of one minute, and I still had four left. There was nothing else wrong with the dummy, so I took matters into my own hands. I grabbed a knife from the weapons table and slashed the dummy's leg, spilling stuffing everywhere. Then I ripped my shirt and secured a tourniquet where I now knew an artery would be in a human. I found some dock leaves on the edible plants station and pressed them against the wound. I cleared the stuffing away like it was blood contaminating the wound and stood up just as the buzzer rang.

* * *

Aspen POV

My first shot missed by a mile.

"Now that the practice round is over, let me show you what happens when I _aim," _I said to the Gamemakers. I knew they weren't supposed to listen, but it must get boring up there.

I took five more shots at the second-farthest target. Four hit it, and one was one ring off the center. I continued shooting until the buzzer was just about to ring. Then I turned to my audience.

"Thank you, thank you. Now enjoy the view as me and my bow bow," I said.

As I left I heard the Gamemakers clapping. I might not be the best shot, but I was the best show.

* * *

Apollo POV

I dodged between two sparring assistants and punched one the instant before I turned and threw the other to the ground. I was sweating, but I kept ironclad control of my breathing. I may have been tired, but the Gamemakers weren't going to know that.

I hurled myself down on the fallen partner and slammed my elbow into his stomach. He gasped and curled in on himself. I grabbed the other one by his collar and threw him into the wall.

"Anyone else?" I called. There were no takers.

* * *

Peppermint POV

I looked longingly at the javelin, but resolutely turned away. That was for me to know and everyone else to find out. I'd give the Gamemakers a little something to tide them over in the meantime.

I found the computer mounted on a table and tapped its screen. A grid showing edible and poisonous plants flashed at me for an instant and then switched to show solid squares.

Not everyone knows that I have a great memory. I didn't think it would really come in that handy in the Games, so I might as well show it off. I blazed through the game, matching every edible and poisonous plant and correctly sorting them to opposite sides. I played it again to fill the final minute, then got up to go.

"That's right, Gamemakers," I said. "I can match colored squares like no one else. Those other kids might as well go home now."

* * *

Bree POV

I had a lot of things I was decent at. I didn't have as many things I was really good at. I ended up trying each of the decent things for a short time. I threw a few knives, identified some plants, made a snare, and glanced at the clock.

A minute left. I tried to think of anything that might set me apart.

I remembered how back in 10 I used to call the cows home. It always impressed my parents that such a little girl could make such a bellow.

_Hey, why not? _I thought. I blared out a cow call, then mixed in a few of the bird whistles I'd picked up over the years.

The buzzer rang, and I walked out. I still felt a little forgettable, but in the Games, sometimes that's a good thing to be.

* * *

Jean POV

I stared levelly at the Gamemakers and didn't move. I knew I could show them how to cut apart a human like I cut apart the cows back home. I could show them how I could run a tribute down and tear them apart at the weak areas. Thing was, I didn't want to.

I knew I wasn't worth anything to the other Tributes. Maybe I was worth something to Cornflower, but I could never tell with her. I didn't know how I could ever be worth anything to myself again, but I did know one thing. The Gamemakers were worth even less.

I looked at them and I saw what they made us become. None of us wanted to kill anyone. Even the Careers only did it because that was all they knew. The Gamemakers took innocent kids and twisted them into monsters. Now I knew we weren't monsters at all. Only they were.

I waited until the buzzer sounded and walked away. I didn't want their points or their presents. I wanted them to look at me and know what I was. I was a child, and they were the ones that sent me to die.

* * *

Miller POV

After I ate all the edible plants on the table, I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I looked up at the Gamemakers. They seemed impressed that I knew to only eat to good plants, but it didn't last long. They all looked aside and I saw a servant carrying a huge cake.

"Hey, can I come up with you guys?" I asked. They ignored me.

_Well, nuts to you too! _I thought.

"Fine!" I yelled. I already showed them I knew how to find plants. They weren't getting any more. I stomped out before the buzzer even sounded.

* * *

Heidi POV

I separated the edible and poisonous plants into piles and ate a few to show I was confident. I wasn't as confident with weapons, so I just took a few swipes at a dummy with a dagger to show I knew how to hold a blade. Then I realized hardly any of the tributes spent any time on the rope course, so I climbed one of the ropes and clambered around above the ground for the rest of my time. I hung from my knees and from one arm, and with a little effort I managed a pull-up. The Gamemakers weren't awestruck, but I saw one or two taking notes. They seemed to pay extra attention as soon as I started climbing the rope. Maybe that was important.

After the buzzer sounded, as I was walking out the door, I thought about their reaction and what it might mean. Maybe it had something to do with the arena. I hoped it wasn't a giant tree. That would be a huge mess.

* * *

Alayza POV

I sat myself right at the edible plants station and sorted through the plants. I still had two minutes when that was done, so I picked up a spear and chucked it at the nearest dummy. It lodged in the dummy's upper leg.

"See that?" I asked the Gamemakers. They didn't react.

"Oh, that's not good enough for you?" I huffed. I threw another four spears at the same dummy. The wind caught one and it missed, but two stuck near the first one and another just skimmed the fabric of the dummy's leg. They still didn't react.

"Oh, shove off! Can _you _throw a spear that well? Admit it. I did great. You wanna come down here and tell me different?" I asked.

The buzzer went off, and I twirled around with a flourish. If they can't recognize talent, that's their problem. I found food and eliminated my enemy. What more did they want?

* * *

Caldwell POV

I showed the Gamemakers the trap I'd invented. They seemed to like it- they kept leaning forward and pointing. I didn't like them watching me and fussing, so I pretended they weren't there and focused on making my snares perfect. After that I ran through all the other traps I knew and made a neat row of different knots. By the time I finished all the knots and snares the buzzer rang. I stood up without a word and quietly walked out.

I wasn't sure what all that was about, but my mentor told me to go in and show everything I knew, so I did my best.

* * *

Timber POV

The Gamemakers all stared at me as soon as I walked in. What were they looking at? Did I already mess up?

They were creeping me out. The only thing I could think of was to build a shelter. There was a pile of wood for making fire. I scooped it up and leaned two of the bigger sticks against the far wall. The rest I draped over the top to make a little tent. I grabbed all the bowls off the plant table and used the leaves to patch the holes. Soon I had a neat little shelter, and I ducked inside.

After a minute I felt like they expected me to do something else, so I ran around the room and lifted the heaviest weights I could. I knew I wasn't terrible at those things, so better that than failing epically with a weapon.

I was relieved when the buzzer rang and I could clear out. It wasn't great, but it could have been worse.

* * *

Ever POV

I sprinted lap after lap around the room, throwing a knife into the heart of every dummy as I passed. I only stopped to retrieve my knives, and I kept it up for a full four minutes.

I could have gone on, but I didn't want to look like I only had one trick. I noticed the Gamemakers seemed restless. Two started whispering to each other, and one laughed.

"Hey! You can't pay attention for five stupid minutes? Want something to watch? Watch _this!" _I slashed my knife harshly across the nearest dummy's throat. Stuffing spilled everywhere and the head tumbled to the ground.

"My apologies for boring you," I said as I left.

* * *

Astra POV

_All right, Astra, you've got this. You practiced. You can do it._

I picked up a knife and threw it at the nearest target. It landed in the lower left chest.

_All right, not bad,_ I thought. I aimed for the next farthest one. The knife just barely hit the dummy's right hip.

_At least he wouldn't be coming for you after that, _I thought. I took a breath and aimed at the farthest dummy.

_This one's for all the marbles. Calculate the spin, measure the distance, and throw, _I thought.

I closed my eyes as the knife soared toward its target. I heard a thud and opened my eyes. The knife was sticking right in the dummy's gut. I wasn't sure if it was skill or luck, but that was definitely a mortal wound.

_See? That wasn't so hard at all._

* * *

Harvey POV

I was nervous as I picked up the rope to make a snare, and I ended up making a granny know instead of a square one. I kept a straight face and soldiered on. With any luck the Gamemakers didn't know their knots anyway.

I thought about asking for a sparring partner. I didn't know what level I should go for. If I asked for a beginner, I could win, but then it wouldn't be impressive. If I asked for an expert I'd lose, but at least it would show I had pluck.

I went for the expert. I reasoned that I could put up one berserker fight before the assistant could figure out my style enough to cream me, and I'd look a lot tougher than I was.

It worked. I lasted the final two minutes until the buzzer rang right as I was about to collapse. I was bruised, sore, utterly outmatched, and about to get my butt handed to me, but I looked like a total savage.

* * *

**1\. I was supposed to put Jean's scar on his face. Oops... everyone pretend that's what I wrote. From now on it's on his face.**

**2\. I did this chapter 12-6 instead of 1-6 to break the monotony. After we get through the orderly things like sessions and interviews, I'll be able to mix up the POVs more, and once the Games start I'll have longer sections with fewer characters per chapter. I'll try to keep things even, but some characters just don't need as much screen time *cough* Miller *cough***


	23. Private Sessions 2

Sarla POV

I tried to keep my breathing steady as I started my private session. Daniel wasn't with me, and the room looked so big and empty. The Gamemakers looked at me expectantly.

I ran a few laps around the track and then sore a strip of fabric from my shirt to make a sling. I threw a few pieces of knotted rope, since I couldn't find any metal balls like the assistant used. I hit the dummy a few times. After that I didn't know what to do with myself. Then I saw a stick shelter leaning against a wall.

_Timber, _I thought. _I didn't teach you everything._

I didn't need sticks to make a shelter. Shelters were everywhere. I counted the dummies in the room and saw there were six. I knocked them all over and piled them on top of each other in a triangle, leaving a gap for a door. I covered the top with a tablecloth from the weapons table and snuggled in until the buzzer rang.

Daniel POV

I picked up a sword and called for an intermediate assistant. I knew in twenty seconds I was overmatched, but I held my own.

_Pretend he's trying to hurt Sarla, _I thought. The very idea shot fire into my veins and I fought like a madman. The assistant accidentally nicked my arm, but that didn't matter. I charged forward like a bear and didn't stop until he was pinned against a wall. By that time my arm was oozing blood and I was bruised all over from other blows. My chest heaved as I glared at the assistant. He kept an eye on me as he scuttled away as the buzzer rang.

_Nobody hurts _my _sister, _I thought. _You just keep running._

Dane Verity

I went through the motions, sparring with a few partners and dodging their blows like it was a dance. It was almost fun the way I could anticipate their moves and dart aside at the last moment. I hadn't even gotten a blow in before my partner was panting. I could tell he was about to fall over, so I tackled him and wrapped my hands around his throat. I did it lightly, since there was no need to actually hurt anyone in the sessions, but the Gamemakers didn't notice. They seemed impressed, so they must have also not noticed how nervous I was. All in all, I did pretty well for myself.

Celestial Yeager

I only had five minutes, so I couldn't paint my entire body. Instead I painted my hand so it blended seamlessly with my outfit. Before the buzzer rang I could tell the Gamemakers couldn't see where my hand ended and the shirt began. I looked like I only had one hand. They leaned forward and peered sharply at my work.

"Do you do makeup?" One lady asked.

"Uh… I never tried," I stammered.

"Give me a call if you win," she said.

I didn't know how to react to that. Gamemakers usually never talked to tributes. I must have really made an impression.

Spencer POV

Five minutes is a long time to sprint. I wasn't sure if the Gamemakers knew that, but at least they didn't look bored as I whizzed around the track. As I reached the finish line, a sparring partner got into position. I plowed into him without slowing and punched him across the face as soon as we hit the ground. Within seconds he had us flipped, but I slammed my knee into his stomach and continued running as he gasped for breath.

He who fights and runs away, right?

Hailey POV

I climbed up onto the rope course right away and looked around for a weapon. In the Session room the ropes seemed to blend straight into the wall, so no screws there.

_Oh my goodness Hailey, you're _sitting _on a weapon! _I grabbed one of the ropes that made up a level above my head and gnawed through it. It was gritty and made my teeth sore, but I got through it. I tied a loop into it and dangled it over one of the dummies. I readied myself to jump down, and as soon as I got the rope around the dummy's head I dropped.

I slammed into the ground and went limp to absorb the fall. The rope jerked tight and yanked the dummy up five feet above the ground, where it dangled limply.

From the Gamemakers' reactions, I could tell that was one they hadn't seen before. I hoped none of my opponents would see it either.

Thompson POV

I grabbed the nearest sword and charged a dummy, slashing it to ribbons. I made short work of the other five dummies, then dramatically whisked the sword around in complicated patterns. I finished with a war cry and glared at the Gamemakers.

They looked less than overwhelmed. I didn't know what they were expecting. I just made hash out of my opponents. I went back and stabbed each one through a final time for extra measure. There wasn't much more I could do after that.

Venus POV

I threw six knives. Six dummies had knives sticking out of their throats. I turned without a word and walked out.

Valencia POV

I looked at all the weapons and tried to seem competent. The only one I really knew how to use was the spear, but I was sure Royal was about to scorch through that, and I didn't want to look bad by comparison. Finally I turned to my oldest and most dependable weapon.

I pulled my shirt down until I was barely decent. I put on a voice that was even less decent.

"Excuse me, Gamemakers?" I said. They looked over and kept looking.

"Could you do me a favor? If I get a high score, I'll get more sponsors. If I get more sponsors, I'll be more likely to win. If I'm more likely to win, I'll be more likely to come back. Could you help me out? You know what happens to Victors. I'd be ever so grateful," I said.

The Gamemakers tried to consider that as they gawked.

"You got my vote, lady!" one screamed. Others whistled and cheered.

I walked out with my head held high. Royal may have the skills, but I had the sponsors.

Royal POV

I threw my spear into one dummy after another. It was too easy. I called for an assistant and asked him to put on a bulletproof vest. Then I had him run around the room while I hurled spear after spear into his chest. He didn't even look scared.

I wondered what Valencia had showed when it was her turn. She sure had looked pleased with herself. Maybe she was more than she seemed. In any case, she wasn't a threat. She was just a fringe benefit.


	24. Scores

Royal Spinel: 9

Valencia Widad: 8

Thompson Keirsten: 8

Venus Lorieta: 10

Spencer Wire: 7

Hailey Falkenrath: 4

Dane Verity: 9

Celestial Yeager: 7

Daniel Mondins: 6

Sarla Mondins: 6

Harvey Willis: 7

Astra Quill: 5

Ever Fellows: 10

Timber Jones: 5

Alayza Mont: 6

Caldwell Bax: 7

Heidi Garrett: 6

Miller Thresher: 1

Bree Maeberry: 5

Jean Roberts: 2

Apollo Wilson: 9

Peppermint Wilson: 7

Aspen Matthews: 7

Valerie Fallow: 5

The tributes looked at the flashing numbers in their respective rooms.

Venus POV: _As expected._

Dane POV: _I did that well?_

Ever POV: _Hot dang, I'm actually a threat!_

Astra POV: _Nuts!_

Jean POV: _You didn't like it? I did something right._

Miller POV: _Whatever._

Aspen POV: _Not bad, old bean._

Valerie POV: _I can work with that._

Bree POV: _All right, a five!_

Caldwell POV: _Seven is a prime number._

Hailey POV: _At least I won't be a target._

Thomspon POV: _Good one, champ._

Peppermint POV: _They'll never see me coming_

Apollo POV: _I did better than Pepper?_

Daniel POV: _Wow Sarla, what did you do?_

Harvey POV: _That's what I'm talking about._

Valencia POV: _Thanks, sweeties._

Royal POV: _How did she do that?_

Heidi POV: _Could be worse._

Spencer POV: _Keep a straight face, act like you're not surprised._

Timber POV: _Thanks, Sarla._

Alayza POV: _What do _you _know, anyway?_

Sarla POV: _Hey, Daniel and I got the same score!_

Celestial POV: _Don't give up on me, Ollie._

* * *

**A few notes:**

**1\. If you submitted a score for your tribute I took it, so that's why some seem a little unrealistic.**

**2\. Don't worry if a tribute you don't think is as strong as yours got a higher score. Since you guys are the sponsors anyway, it won't affect the Games at all.**

**3\. I gave Valencia a high score so she could be with the Careers. She's not suddenly a ninja.**

**4\. Jean got a 2 even though he didn't do anything because he's strongly built and the Gamemakers wanted to emphasize he'd probably last longer than Miller.**


	25. Behind the Scenes

**I thought I'd add one chapter in that showed what the Tributes are like when they aren't training. I didn't include everyone because I didn't feel like it, and these characters had stories that came right up. If you want me to add a story for your character, you can send me a message and I'll write up another chapter before I work on interviews and then, finally, the Games. There's gonna be about twice as much preparation as actual Games. I'll try to draw them out as long as I can.**

**Oh yeah, and chuckwallas really exist. As for why there's a zoo in the Hunger Games building, it's a pretty small zoo. It's for entertaining kids while Capitolites look at Games museums and whatever.**

* * *

Celestial POV:

"Do you guys have pets in the Capitol?" I asked a servant as she tidied up my bed.

"Exotic animals are all the rage. Would you like to see a chuckwalla?" she asked.

"A _what?" _I asked. "I was hoping for otters."

"I don't know if we have any otters. Let me show you to the Zoological Gardens," the servant said. She led me down a hall to a glass door. I looked inside and saw dozens of animals in huge cages. I squealed and ran inside. There were birds flying around and monkeys in trees and all sorts of animals. There was a tank of water behind me, and I turned around to see what was in it.

"AGH!" I screamed. There was a giant freaking shark inches away from my face, staring at me. Where did _he _come from?

I beat a hasty retreat and stopped when I saw an enclosure filled with grazing deer. I watched them gracefully meander about until the servant came over.

"Would you like to pet one?" she asked. And suddenly, even the Games were worth it.

* * *

Timber POV:

I'd trained hours already, and I knew I wasn't going to get much better in two days. I knocked on Sarla's door and asked if she wanted to come out and explore with me. She told her brother she was going and we set out to see what all the other floors in the building had. It turned out that since us Tributes are only here a little while every year, mostly the building is used to entertain Capitolites who want to see where the Games start. There were shopping floors and movie theaters and all sorts of great stuff- I even saw a _zoo _on one of the floors. We went to the very top and stood on an observation deck. We could see the whole Capitol stretching out into the distance. There was also a boring art gallery, but we ignored that.

It was then that we found the food court. Of course we could order room service whenever, but there was something special about seeing all the choices right there in front of us. Sarla pointed out an ice cream parlor, and we made a beeline for it. I'd never had ice cream before, but it looked awesome. Neither of us had any idea what any of the flavors tasted like, so Sarla asked for the most popular flavor and I opted for the awesome rainbow ice cream. There was a huge bar filled with toppings, and I added just about everything, from foamy cream to chewy animal-shaped candies. Sarla took rainbow sprinkles and cookie pieces.

"Let's come back here every day," I said to Sarla as we ate. Ice cream turned out to be even better than it looked.

"That's the greatest idea I've ever heard," Sarla said.

* * *

Daniel POV:

The Training Room closed late at night, so I took a sword with me and kept practicing in my room. Soleil worked tirelessly with me, even though weapons weren't her thing.

"Did you have any allies in the Games?" I asked her.

"No. Nobody paid much attention to me, and I didn't want my ally to realize I wasn't helping much," she said.

It didn't seem right that she didn't have anyone to care about or to protect her.

"What kept you going?" I asked.

"I didn't want to die," she said.

I didn't really want to die either, but my first job was to take care of Sarla. I couldn't think about what would happen to me. I tried to push the thought from my mind, but it didn't want to go.

* * *

Bree POV:

I lay on my bed and tried not to think about what tomorrow would bring. I wished Nate was with me. He always used to come in and lie down by my bed when I needed him to keep the monsters away.

Something went bump in the night, and that was the last straw. I pressed a call button by my bed, and soon there was a knock on my door.

I opened it to find Cornflower.

"Sorry, I didn't think that called you," I said.

"It's okay. It's nice and quiet at night," she said. "Hey, wanna see something really cool?"

She smiled, and it was first time I remembered seeing her smile. She walked next to my bed and waved her hand over a little nook I noticed when I first moved in.

"Check this out," she said. She tapped a light that flashed on over the nook, and a message came up. She stood aside and let me look.

LATE SNACK? It prompted. I tapped the letters.

SAVORY

SWEET

I tapped sweet.

CHOCOLATE

CANDY

OTHER

"Other" seemed interesting, so I picked that.

COOKIES

PASTRY

OTHER

I went for cookies.

CHOCOLATE

CANDY

CHOCOLATE CHIP

SUGAR

PEANUT BUTTER

SNICKERDOODLE

I'd never had a "snickerdoodle", but that sounded like the best cookie ever. I pressed it and six cookies came tumbling out of a chute over the nook.

I was amazed. How had I not known about this before? I took three cookies and offered the rest to Cornflower. They were buttery and covered with cinnamon. She pressed a few more buttons and two glasses of milk came out nestled in claws so they wouldn't spill. We sat on my bed and ate. When Cornflower was done she peeked over at me, then got up and left. I guess I looked like I was better. And I was.


	26. Interviews

**If you sent it a story, I'm still going to write it. I put this chapter first in case someone else sends in a story late. I went with Seutonius' POV because I was bored of the 1-12 Tribute thing. In case you're wondering, Seutonius is a lot like Mr. Rogers. He's no rebel, but all those kids have worn him down. He and Cornflower got on just fine. He likes to help the kids feel safe.**

* * *

Seutonius Cathode POV

Another year, another 24 kids. I'd been here since the start, and you could just never tell. Some years it made sense, like when Crag took the win. Others took you by surprise, like little Soleil. I thought I wouldn't see her live past the Bloodbath. As ghoulish as the subject was, I really did like talking to the kids and helping them put their best foot forward. The lights came on, and I turned toward the audience.

"Good morning, Panem! Get ready for our stars today, the Tributes of the Twenty-Fourth Hunger Games!" I announced. "Up first, from lovely District One, please welcome Valencia Widad!"

A shapely miss came onstage in a long green dress with a heart-shaped cutout on the neckline. She settled herself into the chair opposite me and I began.

"Miss Valencia. How do you plan to win the Hunger Games?" I asked.

"Oh, I know I'll have plenty of allies. It'd be a shame to leave a lady like me all to herself," she said. We continued until our time was up and she sashayed offstage. I'd seen girls (and a few boys) like her every year. They never won. It seems beauty only goes so far.

Royal seemed like a nice boy as far as Careers go. He told me how the Games were survival of the fittest and he was going to be the fittest. There was a good chance he was right, too. I could tell he was strong, and he was ready to do what he needed. A lot of Tributes weren't.

The girl from Two, Venus, was much prettier than Valencia in my opinion, even if she looked ready to snap me in half. Her teal dress and gold heels made her look much classier than her predecessor, and she spoke quietly and clearly.

"Do you think you can win the Hunger Games?" I asked her.

"I know I can," she said. I didn't doubt her.

The next boy was the worst stereotype of a Career. He was brash, confident, cocky, and much less intelligent than he thought. He'd make it farther than he deserved, but he'd never win. My money was on Venus killing him.

I always enjoyed talking to the Tributes from Three. They were usually polite, spacey, and innocently brilliant. Spencer was far more streetwise than I expected.

"Do you have anyone waiting for you back home?" I asked him.

"No," he said.

"Oh, dear. I can tell you're going to fight anyway," I said. Times like these made me hate my job.

"I don't have much training or strength, but I'll give them a fight," Spencer said. He might just do it, too. He's got a chance.

Hailey was something else. She was a wild card.

"What do you like to do back home?" I asked her.

"I like to read fairy tales. I pretend a lot. Now I'm pretending I'm Theseus, since he was a Tribute just like me," she said.

"What about me?" I asked, curious to see what she'd say.

"You talk a lot, so you're like an oracle," she said.

"At least I'm not a harpy!" I said to the audience. They laughed uproariously. The audience loved her pink dress and black tights almost as much as they loved her. That girl wasn't going to want for anything in the Arena.

As far as Careers go, Dane wasn't so bad. He seemed nervous about the whole thing, and he talked more about his time in the Capitol than his strategy. He wore a simple blue and black tuxedo and looked far less ridiculous than many Tributes I'd seen.

"A handsome fellow like you must have someone back home, right?" I asked him.

"No, not really," he said. He blushed and looked away.

"Folks, I don't believe that for one minute," I said to the audience. I smiled after Dane as he left. The odds were slim, but I was pulling for him.

The girl from Four wasn't a Career this time. It happened now and then. She was fiddling with something in her pocket.

"Is that your token there?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she said shyly.

"Let us have a look," I asked. She held out a little wooden otter.

"Why'd you pick that?" I asked.

"I really like animals. I have an otter back home named Ollie. I want to win so I can see him again. He doesn't like it when my dad feeds him. He doesn't do it right," she said.

I knew she didn't have a chance, but if I was allowed, I'd sponsor her all the otters I could afford. A girl like that should die happy.

I always hated interviewing siblings. Daniel and Sarla sat together on a couch in a white tuxedo and a white sundress. We thought the viewers would like to see them together.

"I suppose you two intend to be allies?" I asked Daniel.

"All the way. That's what sisters are for," he said. Sarla held his hand.

"I wish you both the very best," I said. I knew they'd haunt me a long time. One of them was going to die, probably both of them. For both their sakes I hoped Daniel went first.

"What's your strategy for the Games?" I asked Harvey.

"I can't give away specifics, of course, but I intend to outthink my opponents," he said. I hoped he could.

Astra could barely walk in her ruffled purple dress and heels. She patted her hair like she wasn't used to it being flat.

"You look wonderful," I said.

"Thanks, but I'm ready to go home and get all this off," she said.

"That's the attitude. Best of luck," I said. She wasn't getting home.

"Only thirteen years old. Are you worried about that?" I asked Timber.

"I'll be fourteen the day the Games start," he said. "So I'll be fine." The audience laughed.

"Happy early birthday! I hope something good comes of it," I said.

I watched him go with a heavy heart. Thirteen years old. He didn't deserve this.

Ever broke the outfit mold with a white blouse and pale jeans. Her hair was twisted up in an oddly intricate bun for such casual attire.

"Here's the girl who got a 10. Care to tell us about that?" I asked.

"I was a little surprised too. I guess I'm better than I thought," she said.

"You're probably better than your opponents think, too," I said. "There's an advantage."

I didn't have to worry about her. That girl could take care of herself.

"How are you going to win?" I asked Alayza.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll think of something," she said. She lounged casually on the chair.

"You seem confident," I observed.

"Yeah, I got this," she said. I knew she didn't.

Caldwell made things difficult. He answered everything with one or two words and looked everywhere but at me. I was reminded of the year that girl from 7 was Reaped from the sanitarium. She couldn't even talk, and she never left me. Caldwell had a chance, but I wasn't holding my breath.

Heidi's cinched green dress made her look like the rolling fields of her home. She was as comely as her attire, and I wished that meant more in the Games.

I was missing Heidi three minutes into my next interview. The only good thing about Miller was that I wouldn't have to miss him. How was that boy not dead yet?

I bet Bree and Hailey got along just fine. With her gold dress and heels, Bree looked like Midas' princess.

"I bet you have all sorts of hidden tricks for the Games," I said.

"I can steal stuff. Well, not very well. Sometimes I get caught," she said.

"Not that I would know anything about stealing, but if you steal stuff nobody wants anyway, you might have better luck," I said. I hoped she did.

I didn't know what it was about me, but Jean sure seemed to dislike me. He glared at me like he was daring me to say something.

"How do you like the Capitol?" I began.

"I shouldn't say. There are women present," he said.

At that point I was trying to keep him from getting his family killed, so I stuck to simple questions about his outfit and such. I breathed easier when he left, even though I knew he was right. He was the only one who knew what was really happening, and it chilled me.

Peppermint and Apollo also opted to appear together. They constantly wrestled on the couch and jostled each other. Between spats, Peppermint assured me she had things covered, and Apollo agreed with her. They certainly looked better than they had in the Parade. Peppermint had a gorgeous green gown with spirals of gold glitter, and her hair was tousled in a half-updo. Maybe she had something to do with that terrified stylist I saw scuttling the halls. Apollo's matching black suit and green tie might similarly be explained by the stylist I saw rubbing a bruised jaw. If they treated their opponents like they did their stylists, those two had a chance.

Aspen's outfit tied in with his parade outfit, but it was more subdued. A black jacket with red lining went with black pants and black low heels. I could tell polka dot would be more appropriate. I didn't need to fake laughs with that boy. I could hardly keep up my interview. Panem would be a duller place if he didn't come back.

The last tribute of all was Valerie. She wore a simple maroon dress, and she matched it. She told me how she and Aspen were allies and she could patch him up if he messed up. She also said she watched me whenever she had a chance because I had all the best gossip. It's always nice to meet a fan. I didn't think I'd meet her again.


	27. Into the Tubes

Dane POV

My thoughts wandered as I lay on my bed the last night before the Games. Was I going to be good enough? Did I make the right decision joining the Careers after all? I wondered what the other Tributes were thinking. The other Careers were probably already asleep so they'd have energy for the Games.

My thoughts went back to Seutonius. I hadn't been completely honest when I said I didn't have a girl. I wasn't really lying- we weren't together- but there was someone I had my eye on. I was trying not to get attached, since she was a Tribute too. Celestial was so quiet and gentle. If I didn't win, I hoped she would. For the otters…

I wondered if she was still awake too. She was probably more nervous than I was. She didn't have any training. She probably thought she didn't have a chance. If she was right, I hoped it wouldn't be the Career pack that found her. I didn't know if I could go through with it.

* * *

Azure POV

"You know what to do. Keep your head clear and don't let anything distract you," I said to Royal with a sidelong glance at Valencia. I didn't say anything to her. She wasn't worth my time.

* * *

Crag POV

"You're district partners, but don't be afraid to separate. Only one can win," I said to both my tributes. I turned to Venus.

"Only one can win," I said again.

* * *

Acee POV

"Remember-" I began.

"There's a weapon everywhere," Hailey finished. I nodded.

"Go out there and find it."

* * *

Jonah POV

"What? You're going with the Careers after all?" I asked.

"I figured they could use a few more people, and they're kind of weak this year," Dane said as he looked guiltily at his feet.

"All right. Just take care of yourself. Try to leave before they split," I said.

* * *

Soleil POV

I held Sarla as she tried to stop her tears.

"It's all right. Daniel will find you. Don't give up. I won, and so can you," I said. I wished I believed it.

* * *

Toby POV

Harvey didn't like me. I didn't like him either. I'd do my duty by him, but if he died, so it went. I lost everyone anyway. He was just another failure.

* * *

Sequioa POV

"Steer clear of the Careers. I know you think you can take them, but you're their number one target. Don't make things hard on yourself," I said to Ever.

"See you soon," she said.

"I think you might."

* * *

Drone POV

Caldwell didn't seem nervous, and he didn't pay any attention to me. I wasn't sure he even knew my name.

"Take care," I said to him. I laid a hand gently on his back. He didn't protest.

* * *

Heidi POV

My stylists stayed with me, since I didn't have a mentor. They dressed me in a thin coverall made of springy dull green fabric.

"It could be a lot of things, but looks like it isn't snow," the head stylist said. At least I had some good news.

* * *

Cornflower POV

"Do you think I'll make it?" Bree asked. Jean stood stoically in front of the tube. He turned to see my answer.

"I don't know. Whatever happens, I'll remember you." I looked at Jean.

"I promise I'll always remember you."

* * *

Orchard POV

"You want to come home?" I asked Peppermint.

"Of course," she said.

"Show no mercy, show no pain, and kill. I can't say what you'll be when it's over, but if you do that, you might be alive."

* * *

Aspen POV

My stylists were trying heroically not to cry. I wish I had a joke to cheer them up, but for the first time in my life, nothing seemed funny.

* * *

**Finally, it's Game time! I went by mentor POV, so whatever Tributes had named mentors are highlighted here. For the two mentorless districts I picked a tribute. Dane gets a little paragraph since his submitter asked for a story and she was the only one who did. If you still want to add anything to your character I'll incorporate it into the Games. These are your characters- I just write them- so you're really in charge of any character development you want. I'll just fill it in if you don't have any specifics.**


	28. Let the Games Begin

Valerie POV

I craned my neck to see over the top of the tube. It rose until I was standing a foot above the ground, and I looked around. I was surrounded by muddy water. Thick twisty trees grew directly from the water and they stretched out as far as I could see, which wasn't very far, since they were so close together. The countdown began. 

_60, 59, 58…_

Royal POV

I didn't see any spears in the Cornucopia, which sat on a dirt circle inside the ring of platforms. Maybe the good stuff was hidden inside. I saw Venus six platforms away. She was already searching out her first target. 

_44, 43, 42…_

Hailey POV

I wouldn't make it halfway to the Cornucopia. I looked around at my feet to see what the farther supplies were. I saw a rope floating on the water and fastened my eyes on it. Just like Theseus in the Labyrinth. 

_37, 36, 35…_

Timber POV

My platform was right next to Venus. She was looking right at me. I wish she'd cut it out. 

_33, 32, 31_

Daniel POV

Sarla was four platforms to my left. I caught her eye and motioned subtly toward a tall, thin tree behind her. She nodded. 

_25, 24, 23…_

Celestial POV

Why'd it have to be water? At least there were trees too. I knew where I was headed. 

_22, 21, 20…_

Astra POV

_Mom. Mom, I don't want to go. I want to go home._

_ You can't go home, Astra. You just have to run. Don't let anyone catch you. Just run._

_10, 9, 8…_

Thompson POV

I dug my toes into the platform and waited through the long seconds.

_Come on, come on…_

_5, 4, 3, 2, 1…_

_"Let the Twenty-Fourth Hunger Games begin!"_


	29. The Bloodbath

Miller POV

I ran for the Cornucopia, hoping to snag some food and supplies. There was movement in the corner of my eye, and I saw Venus scorching past me into the Cornucopia. She grabbed something and threw it at me. Crap.

* * *

Celestial POV

In the seconds before the Game started, I couldn't stop my tears as I clutched my token. I turned to see Peppermint glaring at me.

"Quit crying and get your game face on," she hissed. I felt her determination and fury spreading to me and I stood tall. I'd make them pay for my blood. They were nothing but bullies, and I'd dealt with bullies all my life. The gong sounded and I was so startled I just start running, and I didn't realize I was running toward the Cornucopia until I smashed into Dane. I scrambled backward and covered my face, waiting for him to kill me. Instead he looked at me for a minute, then got up and ran to join the other Careers. I darted back the other way and scooped up a small jar before I started climbing the nearest tree.

* * *

Venus POV

I was the first to reach the Cornucopia, and I was disgusted to see all it held was close range weapons. I started throwing the boxes and packages around to find something useful and overturned a single box of throwing knives. I grabbed the first one and threw it at the fat boy. It went straight in his forehead and he dropped like a rock. My next knife went after the girl from 5, who was wading toward a tree. Someone else got in the way and fell heavily on top of her. I'd finish her later. A quick scan revealed the other Careers were either looking through the Cornucopia for weapons or fighting hand-to-hand with other Tributes. I picked up another knife and debated where to throw it.

* * *

Sarla POV

I jumped off the far end of the platform and landed in waist-deep water. I stumbled as fast as I could toward the tall tree Daniel pointed out. The water deepened until I was paddling through water that reached my shoulders.

"Sarla!" I heard Daniel scream. Before I could turn someone slammed into me from behind. I shrieked and turned around. It was Daniel. There was a knife in the back of his neck.

"Daniel? Daniel!" I cried. I could barely keep my head above water with his weight pinning me down. "Daniel, are you okay?!"

I knew he wasn't. I started to cry as I pushed him away and backed toward the tree. I looked up to see Thompson looking my way and holding a sword. I dug my nails into the tree trunk and hauled myself up until I was so high I couldn't see any of them anymore. Then I wrapped my arms around the wood and cried.

* * *

Hailey POV

I jumped into the water and swam for the coil of rope. I grabbed anything I passed on the way and ended up with the rope, a small backpack, and a loaf of bread in a plastic bag. While the countdown was going I had noticed that there were canals running between the trees. I ducked under the water and swam through the wide roots of the nearest trees. I kept my head under as much as possible and didn't stop until I couldn't hear the Bloodbath.

* * *

Aspen POV

I waded to Valerie and grabbed her hand. We swam past the first line of trees and followed a canal that ran parallel to the Cornucopia. Horrible screams and cries followed us. I tried to tell Valerie not to cry, but it was hard when I was crying just as much.

* * *

Alayza POV

I ran for the Cornucopia. I wasn't aiming for a fight, but supplies could be life or death. Venus was already there when I got there, but she seemed to have bigger fish to fry. I snatched up a spear and turned to face the other Tributes. Most of them were in the water or climbing trees. Peppermint and Apollo were making their way to the Cornucopia, each watching the other's back. I grabbed a large backpack and wound a coil of rope around my shoulder.

The rest of the Careers made their way to the Cornucopia, but I didn't back down. Maybe I couldn't take them all on, but I could make it too painful to bother. I saw Thompson bending over a box of supplies and took my shot. I ran at him and stuck my spear through his chest. He gasped and fell to the ground. I pulled my spear out and turned to vault into the water.

As I was flying through the air I felt a pain in the back of my head. I crashed into the water and drifted away.

* * *

Harvey POV

I ran around the outer perimeter of the Cornucopia circle, picking up anything I found. The rest of the Tributes were running away or fighting in the Cornucopia, so I had my pick. The first thing I grabbed was a backpack. I stuffed everything else I grabbed into whatever pocket would hold it. I wasn't even sure what all I got. The crowd started to thin and I could tell the Careers were going to notice me soon, so I ran for a tree and climbed far above the Cornucopia. The trees were close enough that I could climb from one to another, so I made my way farther and farther away from the Bloodbath until I felt safe enough to look at my supplies.

I took one item after another out of the backpack and laid them in a crotch of the tree I was sitting in. I had a rain poncho, a pocketknife, three packets of dried fruit, an empty canteen, a bottle of iodine, a jar of jelly, and a bottle of antiseptic. Looked like my strategy worked out just fine.

* * *

Jean POV

In the seconds before the Games started, I reared back my head and screamed. I screamed for everyone who'd died in the years before and everyone who was going to die next. Some of the Tributes looked at me like I was insane, and some of them looked like they pitied me. The gong sounded seconds after I stopped, and it was like nothing happened. I stood on my platform and watched as children died. Children my age were killing them, and I didn't see any reason to go on. Even if I won, just by living I'd kill twenty-three other kids. None of them made a move in my direction. I guess I looked more threatening than I felt.

I saw Alayza die and something changed. Maybe she died, but at least she tried. She had something worth living for. Maybe we all did, even me. I had my family, and my District, but most of all, I had them. In a few years, most people wouldn't remember any of those kids. If I won, I could make sure they were remembered forever. They mattered, and I could tell the world.

I jumped off the platform and waded between the nearest trees. Now I had something to fight for.

I counted every cannon after it was all. Every one was a precious child that was gone forever. I couldn't save them, but I could remember them. I wouldn't let them be forgotten.

* * *

**We finally see the Bloodbath. In case you weren't sure, it's a mangrove forest. It's nearly all water and trees with a few muddy islands here and there. Since everyone loved knives I decided to... HAVE ONLY SET OF KNIVES IN THE CORNUCOPIA! And have only a handful of weapons. Gamemakers be trolling you guys. You all have enough points to afford weapons anyway. I'll try to calculate everyone's scores for next chapter. You all have a ton, but I decided since the last Games were such a flop, the Gamemakers made things really cheap this year so they'd get a better show. Please show discretion and do not send 20 spears or something.**

**For some morbid reason my favorite part of Hunger Games fics are the obituaries, so I'll be doing that. I'll also write a little POV of the mentors and District every time the last Tribute from a District dies.**

**24th place: Miller**

**Oh, Miller. You will not be missed. Thanks everyone for putting up with such an over-the-top exaggeration of a character, and may the laughs he brought us overweigh his truly odious nature, since nothing else outweighs him. Our thanks to UltimateMaxmericaShipper for providing a Tribute who was the farthest thing from a Mary Sue I have ever seen and was surely the worst Tribute in 75 years of Games.**

**23rd place: Daniel**

**We all knew he wasn't going to outlast Sarla anyway. He would have wanted to go this way, and as soon as Sarla and Timber showed their chemistry he had to go so they could team up. He didn't go so early because he was weak. I just had to kill someone and he fit. Thanks Kkfanatic for Daniel, and Sarla is still going strong.**

**22nd place: Thompson**

**He wasn't a very good Career. The Careers in general were pretty weak this year. Thanks to the submitters who didn't sent in Terminators. I was planning to kill a Career for another character's development, and Thompson wouldn't have won anyway. Thanks Seungripanda for sending in a Tribute and telling me you actually didn't want him to win.**

**21st place: Alayza**

**Alayza had the talk but not the walk. Her submitter said that she would run in, grab some stuff, and pole vault out of there. I got her as far as she could go, but that was just a little bombastic. I respected her and her spirit, though, so she'll be remembered as the girl who ran in and killed the stuffing out of a Career in the Bloodbath. She fought a good fight. Thank you Guest who I am too lazy to go through my PMs and find the real name of.**


	30. Day 1

Dane POV

I was glad that Celestial got away, but I tried not to let on. I volunteered to stay behind and sort through the Cornucopia, and Royal and Venus went out to look for stragglers. Valencia insisted on tagging along. Venus wasn't pleased, but Royal put in a good word for her. The weapons were pretty slim this year: one spear, which Royal claimed, two swords, Venus' throwing knives, and a dagger.

It was hard to tell what time of day it was, since the trees didn't let much sunlight through. I tried to make the Cornucopia as homey as possible. I stacked the food on one side and unrolled four sleeping bags on the other. Then I kept an eye out for any Tribute who got ideas about stealing, not that I thought any would.

I had a lot of time to think before the others got back. I wasn't sure what I had gotten into, allying with the Careers. I guess I just didn't want to be alone. I knew I couldn't stay around long, though. I wasn't really a killer, and the others would figure that out soon. I knew there was no way Celestial would ally with me now. I'd have to go it alone.

I searched for any medicine and winced as I bumped my arm. Before Peppermint and Apollo ran way, she slashed my arm pretty good with a sharp stone. It was seeping blood through the bandage I rigged. I found some cream and rubbed it on, but it seemed to be more a painkiller than anything else.

Even though I was alone, the Arena wasn't quiet. I heard frogs croaking and birdsong filled the trees above my heads. It was like the whole Arena was alive.

* * *

Timber POV

I settled myself into a crook high up in a tree when I heard someone crying. It sounded like a girl, and I knew the Careers were in the Cornucopia and they wouldn't cry anyway, so I climbed toward the noise.

It was Sarla. She was sitting at the very top of a tree and crying like the world was ending.

"What's wrong?" I asked. She jerked up at the noise but didn't look at me. She just kept crying.

"Hey, where's your brother? Do you need help finding him?" I asked.

She began to wail. It seemed to shatter the air.

"What's wrong?" I asked again. Now I was trying not to cry too.

"He's dead," she said.

"What?" I gasped. "He can't be."

She kept wailing. I crawled up next to her and put my arm around her. She cried into it. I had no idea what to say. I tried to imagine Raol dead, but it just didn't work.

"I can stay with you if you want," I said. Sarla grabbed my arm and pressed into me.

"We can be allies and stay together," I said. She was still crying, but she looked up.

"Did you get anything at the Bloodbath?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I got this bag. Let's look inside," I said.

We opened it and found an empty canteen and two grain bars. Neither of us were hungry, but it made me happy to know at least we had something.

"Let's get out of here," I said. Sarla didn't say anything, but she started crawling toward another tree. We made our way into the forest to see where the Arena took us.

* * *

Astra POV

I kept running until I couldn't run another step. I collapsed onto a patch of solid ground and lay heaving on the ground.

I hadn't grabbed anything from the Cornucopia, and I didn't know where to start. Shelter wasn't a big issue. It was warm, and there were plenty of trees. There was water, but I wasn't sure if it was good to drink. I scooped out a handful and took a tiny sip. It tasted muddy and gross, but it didn't _seem _poisonous. For now, it was better than dying of thirst, but I didn't take any more yet.

My next priority was food. I searched around until I found a patch of cattails. I nibbled on one of the stems and spat it out. I wasn't that hungry yet, but they'd be here when I was.

I had two options for camp: the trees or my dirt patch. If I went in the trees I might fall out, but on the ground I was exposed. I saw that one of the trees' roots was partially above ground, and I crawled into the tangle. My feet were up against the water, but the fabric of my suit seemed to be waterproof. I was already dry from my trip.

From my nest I could see a long way in every direction, and I could flee underwater if I had to. I couldn't stay here forever, but for now it was good.

* * *

Valencia POV

Venus and Royal didn't find any tributes on the ground, and they felt ridiculous climbing like monkeys, so we headed back to the Cornucopia. Dane had laid out some sleeping bags, and after Royal picked one I claimed the one next to his. As night fell and we bedded down, I inched closer to him.

"You warm enough?" I asked.

"I'll manage," he said.

"Venus and Dane are all the way across the Cornucopia," I said. I reached one hand inside his bag. He didn't protest.

"I get a little lonely at night sometimes," I said. "Keep me company?" I unzipped my bag and tossed it over his. I slid underneath and tugged on his bag's zipper. Before he knew it we were sharing a double bag. He lay stiff on his side, but he didn't move as I snuggled against him and slid my leg against his. He reached over and ran a hand down my side. Seems he wasn't unreachable after all.

* * *

Bree POV

I found a tight crook in a tree and wedged myself in for the night. With any luck I wouldn't fall out and die. All I'd grabbed from the Cornucopia was a thin sheet of metallic foil. I kept it folded for the time being, since it would certainly attract attention.

The Anthem started playing, and I watched through a gap in the trees.

The first face was Thompson. Careers didn't usually die in the Bloodbath, but it happened now and then. The next face was Daniel's. I was sorry to see he was dead. I hoped Sarla was all right. Next came Miller. That was no surprise. Alayza was last. I thought she'd last longer than I did. Guess not.

It was hard to sleep wedged against wood and afraid that any second I'd tumble to the ground, but the chirps of night insects and the rustle of the wind through the trees helped soothe me. I finally fell asleep and dreamed of the Bloodbath.

* * *

**No deaths this chapter, since it's a continuation of the Bloodbath day. I was feeling lazy so I didn't tally sponsor scores, but if you have something you want to send, I'll send it in. I know you guys are all good for at least 10 points, which is enough for a lot.**


	31. Day 2

Heidi POV

I didn't grab anything at the Bloodbath. I had other plans. I ran for the nearest tree and climbed until I was high above the Cornucopia. After everything had quieted down and it was early morning, I put my plan into effect.

In the night I had gathered handfuls of small nuts from the trees and tucked them into my shirt. I watched as the Careers woke up and Royal and Venus took Valencia as they went out to look for Tributes. Dane stayed behind to guard the Cornucopia. He seemed nicer than the rest, but I couldn't trust him. I picked out a nut and tossed it away into the water. It splashed, and Dane's head jerked in that direction. I waited a few seconds, then dropped another near the first. Dane grabbed a sword and stood up. He took a step forward, and I flung a handful of nuts farther away than the first two. Dane ran toward to noise, and I threw one nut after another, each farther away than the one before.

As soon as Dane was out of sight I climbed down the tree and ran into the Cornucopia. I knew I didn't have much time, so I swiped a coil of thin rope and an empty canteen, which I stuffed full of jerky and dried fruit. I was already halfway up the tree when I heard Dane splashing back toward the Cornucopia. I climbed back up to the top and surveyed my loot. I had three things they probably wouldn't even miss. Perfect.

Even if I was so far up, they'd still notice me eventually, so I climbed down a few branches and made my way farther into the swamp in the same direction Venus and Royal had gone. They wouldn't notice me so far up, and after they found all the Tributes in that direction they would leave that area alone. I stopped when I heard splashing and backed away a few trees, then went back up to the canopy and tied myself in to a comfortable nook.

The sun would come up in about an hour, and my next priority was water. I'd stolen an empty canteen, but that was still part of the plan. As the sun started to peek over the treetops I ran my hand over a nearby leaf. I smiled when it came away wet. I took my canteen and brushed it over all the leaves I could reach. When I was done it was half full. Even if it was a small canteen, I didn't plan on moving much. Now I had a place to stay, food, and water. Things were looking up.

* * *

Dane POV

Whatever the noise was, it seemed to be gone, and I didn't find any trace of any Tributes. Maybe it was just a frog. I waded back to the Cornucopia and stretched out on the dirt to let the spotty sunlight dry out my outfit.

I planned to stay with the Careers a while longer. I could use the supplies in the Cornucopia to stay strong while the other Tributes struggled to survive. By the time I split, a lot of them would already be gone, and they were just more children I didn't have to kill.

I noticed something moving in the trees overhead and looked up. It was a parachute attached to a long, thin box. It floated down and landed at my feet.

_I have sponsors? I hope Celestial does too, _I thought. I opened the box and saw a thin metal spear. I picked it up and hefted it. It was solid, but not too heavy to throw. It was made of one long piece of metal with a sharp arrowhead tip.

_Great, _I thought. _I'll show Royal and Venus when they get back. Good thing _someone _brought weapons. The Gamemakers sure didn't. _

I didn't look forward to using it, but I'd do what I had to. Maybe when I found another Tribute he'd be near death anyway, and I'd just help him along. In any case, there was no use worrying about it. It was just part of the Games.

* * *

Peppermint POV

Apollo and I had come into this ready to tear the Games up, and we'd already started. At the Bloodbath, Apollo watched my back while I picked through the supplies. Before Dane came at me and I had to slash him with a rock, I'd picked up two backpacks, a small pot, a thin square of foil, and a roll of gray tape. After the skirmish, Apollo and I retreated into a shallow canal and zigzagged between the trees to avoid Venus' throwing knives. We kept going until we reached a stream that grew shallower until it leveled off into a little island surrounded by trees. The trees made a nice little hiding place with enough gaps that we could look out and spot intruders.

When we stopped, the first thing I wanted to do was take a drink from the canal, but I knew better than that. I spread our supplies on the ground and we looked through them.

The first backpack had a little folding knife, a box of matches, a sewing kit, and a package of flat bread circles. The next had a flashlight, an empty water bottle with a weird mesh on it, a mirror, and a pair of socks.

"_What? _All that and no iodine? That sucks!" I said. "How are we supposed to drink now?"

"We could wait for it to rain," Apollo said.

"Who knows how long that'll take? We gotta drink now!" I said. I picked up the water bottle.

"Stupid bottle, why can't you be full?" I asked. "And what's this weird net?" I poked at the mesh on the bottle's mouth.

_Hold on, maybe there's a reason for that, _I thought.

"Let me try something," I said to Apollo. I scooped a potful of water from the canal. It was muddy and clouded. I poured it into the water bottle. The mesh became clogged with specks and muck. The water inside was still dirty, but it looked a lot better.

"Now we're getting somewhere," I said. I wiped off the muck and poured the water back into the pot. A little scum was left on the mesh, and the water in the pot looked even cleaner. I wiped the muck off one more time and poured the water back into the bottle. It looked clear as ice. I smiled and took a drink. It tasted as sweet as sugar. I drank half the bottle and offered the rest to Apollo. We drank until we were satisfied and then ate a bread circle each.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to get tired of bread," I said. "Besides, all we have to protect ourselves is this little knife. That won't do."

Apollo unfolded the knife and started carving at a long stick he found.

"What'cha making?" I asked.

"A spear," he said.

"Great idea," I said. We took turns chipping at two long sticks until we had two lumpy spears. A few minutes ago, we were ready to live. Now we were ready to fight.

* * *

Ever POV

I was halfway to the Cornucopia when I saw there were hardly any weapons in it. I could probably run fast enough to snag one, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. I darted in close enough to grab a large backpack and a collapsible fishing pole and dove into the water. The backpack was heavy enough that it didn't keep me on the surface, so I swam underwater until I needed a breath. I kept the backpack behind my head as I surfaced in case someone threw something at me. I peeked around and saw I was still within throwing range and I was right up against a tree. I ducked back underwater and swam around it and farther into the forest.

I kept swimming for what must have been hours. If someone followed me they'd regret it, but there was no need to start a fight just yet. I finally stopped at a patch of dirt to look through my supplies and make a plan.

The backpack turned out to be a gold mine. That must have been why it was so close to the Cornucopia. I found a net bag filled with vitamins, a fishing kit, packets of salt, iodine tablets, a pair of binoculars, a roll of gray tape, and a packet of hard candies.

The only thing it didn't have was a water bottle. It had the iodine, but no bottle. Stupid Gamemakers. That wasn't going to stop me, of course. I ripped off strips of tape and folded them on themselves to make a fabric of sorts. I cobbled together a rough pouch and filled it with water. The tape turned out to be waterproof, so I dropped an iodine tablet in and waited.

I knew I should have been scared. I'd just seen four kids die, and I shuddered to think what the night's dreams would be. Mostly I just felt excited. My heart was pounding so hard it jolted my chest, and I felt hyper-alert. I wanted a weapon, but at least most of the other Tributes were unarmed too. I wanted to hold a knife and know I could defend myself.

Water and food were taken care of. Now I needed shelter. I could go into the trees or find a home on the ground.

_Wait, why do I need shelter? It's warm here, and the trees keep out extra sunlight. I can just keep moving. _It seemed like the best idea. I rested a few minutes, then got up and headed deeper into the forest.

* * *

**Nobody died... yet. I'm trying to keep the POVs more or less balanced, but I can't even remember 24 names at a time, so if I keep missing your Tribute just holler. Heidi's submitter pointed out that I didn't develop her much, so I gave her a little section here. Dane only got two in a row because his submitter sent a sponsorship gift. If you want your Tributes to keep to a certain area, like the canopy or the ground, you can tell me that too. I noticed I had mostly girls this chapter, so I'll have to add some boys next chapter.**

**Rats, forgot Spencer. He'll be in the next one for sure.**


	32. Day 2 continued

Royal POV

I hefted my spear and listened for Tributes. Venus and I had split apart about an hour ago to cover more ground. Valencia stayed with me, but I convinced her to climb a tree and act as a "lookout". She was pretty, but this was a Career's job.

I slid slowly through the knee-deep water, keeping my eyes on the trees. I knew any Tributes in the water would see the ripples and know I was coming, so my best bet was overhead.

Something caught my eye, and I looked closer at the thick leaves.

It was a foot. And surely it was connected to a Tribute. Through the thick foliage, it probably couldn't even see me. I couldn't see much of it either, but I knew where to aim.

I drew back my spear and threw. It vanished into the leaves until I could only see the handle. I heard a sharp cry, and a shape dropped to the ground. I went over to investigate.

It was the boy from 8. He was dead when I reached him, so I pulled out my spear and got back to searching. Five down, twenty-one to go.

* * *

Caldwell POV

I'd managed to pick up a few things at the Cornucopia, though I didn't stay long. I had a pair of green sunglasses and a hand towel. I could use the towel to gather dew or bandage a wound, so it was a good find. I found a perch in a thicket of trees and rested a while. I'd need energy later, and movement would burn water.

The Arena was peaceful and quiet, and I laid my head against the tree trunk. I was alone, and that way the way I liked it.

The leaves by my chest rustled, and I felt a solid thump like I'd been punched. All the blood seemed to drain from my head and I tipped over backwards off my branch.

_What was that? _I thought. I felt unreal, like I was floating toward the ground.

Then I stopped floating.

* * *

Heidi POV

From my roost in the treetops I could see the tiny form of Royal out looking for prey. I scrunched against the trunk and lay absolutely still. I watched as he looked at a tree and threw his spear. A wet thump followed. I couldn't see the body, but after Royal vanished for a few seconds he turned and headed off in another direction.

I didn't have much time. I flew down the tree and crept over to the body. It was Caldwell. I was sorry to see him dead, but I couldn't help him. I searched his pockets and found a pair of night-vision glasses and a towel. I tucked them in my shirt and climbed back to my roost. As soon as I left, a hovercraft claw dropped down and carried Caldwell away.

* * *

Aspen POV

Valerie and I huddled together in a muddy patch inside the roots of one of the trees. We were both shaking, and I couldn't catch my breath enough to say anything.

"They're dead," Valerie said. "Miller and Alayza and Thompson and Daniel… they're just dead," she said.

"Hey, we all knew Miller was gonna bite it," I said with a sad smile.

"He didn't deserve this. He may have been rude but he didn't deserve to get murdered," she said. I knew she was right.

"It's wet and it's cold in here. Let's find somewhere nicer," I said. We crawled out and sat on a wide branch that skimmed the water.

"We have plenty of water, even if it isn't the healthiest. Good thing I learned first aid," Valerie said.

She started looking around for useful plants, and I tried to figure out what to do with myself. I broke off a stick and tried to bend it into a bow. It bent, but I didn't have any string.

"Hey, did you find any string?" I asked Valerie.

"No, I did not find any rope trees or string plants," she said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, one never knows," I said. I found some tall grass and tried to braid it into a bowstring. It rubbed my fingers and cut little scratches into them. I finished with a knotty, snarled cord that looked like a rat's tail. I tied it around my bow and found a stick to use as an arrow.

"Hey Valerie, check _this _out," I said. I pulled back my arrow and let it fly.

It landed two feet away and broke.

"_Nailed _it."

* * *

**Here's a short chapter describing the Careers running amok like they usually do the first day. They didn't get many Tributes since they're thin and not as strong this year, but I figured they'd get somebody.**

**As for Heidi, I'm trying to make her not an exact copy of Foxface. They're both sneaky, but I doubt Foxface was the first Tribute to use a ninja strategy. Lots of smaller kids probably kept under the radar and played things safe. It doesn't mean she'll win, though she has a chance.**

**Obituaries:**

**20th place: Caldwell**

**Caldwell wasn't really a killer. Not that that means he couldn't win, like Annie did, but it didn't seem like he had his head entirely in the Game. I couldn't see him duking it out in a final fight, and the Careers had to find someone. It happened to be him. I definitely enjoyed writing Caldwell, since I'm a lot like him. May he find a place where he never has to deal with people again. Thank you, guest whose name I can't find since I have 20 PMs and I can't tell them apart.**


	33. Spencer at last

**I wrote Spencer's POV... and forgot to paste it in when I posted the chapter. Fail. Here it is, finally.**

Spencer POV

I didn't grab a single thing from the Bloodbath. It was a mess of Tributes fighting and dying and I wanted no part of it. I scurried up a tree and made my way through the branches. None of the other Tributes seemed to notice me, which was fine.

I was thirsty right away, even though I'd been careful to drink before I got in the tube. I was surrounded by water, but it didn't look very clean. I dipped my finger into the cleanest area I could find and cautiously licked it. It tasted all right. I scooped up a handful and drank it. It was better than dying of thirst, but I'd find another source as soon as I could.

My next priority was food. I dropped to the ground- I wasn't sure about the strength of the branches anyway. I heard frogs croaking, but I had no way to catch them. Even if I did, I couldn't cook them. There were scattered plants, but I didn't know which were poisonous. Even if I found a strawberry plant, the Gamemakers might have poisoned it.

I saw something splash and whipped my head toward the ripples. It was just a frog- a big, fat bullfrog. I looked at him, and he stared back at me.

_That is nasty. But what are you gonna do?_

I leapt forward and pinned the frog to the mud with one hand.

"Sorry," I said to it as I picked it up and smacked it against a tree trunk. It sure looked dead after that. But how was I going to cook it?

I grabbed a limp leg and twisted it. My stomach lurched as it popped off with a wet snap. I looked at the skinny leg and tried not to gag. I brought it to my mouth and sniffed it. It smelled like dead frog.

_Can you even eat raw meat? Will it kill you or something? _I thought. It was clear I'd have to be pretty hungry.

I thought of the ways people preserved meat. You could _cook _it like a civilized person, or you could freeze it for later or pack it in salt. The only way I could possibly do it was to dry it.

I climbed as high as I could into a tree and reached a spot where sunlight poked through. I reared back my arm and smashed the frog into a thin branch. It stuck there like a gross trophy. I stuck the leg next to it and bedded down within the tree's roots. With any luck it would be dry by tomorrow, and maybe I'd be hungry enough.


	34. Day 2 Afternoon

Harvey POV

I didn't trust my balance way up in the trees, so I climbed down to the bottom and sat on a low branch. I scooped water into my canteen and added iodine. I swung my feet in the water and nibbled dried fruit while I waited for the water to be ready.

Suddenly the water exploded. I jerked backwards as a horrible gray shape holding together rows and rows of teeth snapped at my feet. I barely knew to grab my canteen as I fled up the branch and climbed the trunk. I wrapped my arms around the tree and sat frozen as I looked down. The monster sank back into the water but kept its head above the surface.

It had to be a crocodile, but it looked more like a horrible dragon. Its gray scales were thick and jagged, and its eyes were solid black. Worst of all, I saw something in those eyes. That thing wasn't a mindless animal. That thing could plan.

It hissed at me. It was a terrible noise like a leaking heater. It sounded like it was mad at me for getting away.

"Yeah, well screw you! You gonna climb up here and get me?" I taunted it. It came out more like a whimper than I wanted. The thing hissed softly and sank into the water until only the tip of its nose was visible.

"What, you think I'm going to come down now? Fat chance," I told it. I snapped of a twig and threw it at the thing. It didn't seem to notice.

After that I didn't have much of an appetite, but I forced myself to drink so I'd stay hydrated. I wanted to get as far away from that thing as possible, but I was afraid if I moved from that spot I'd fall into the water and… it just wasn't worth it. For now, we were in a stalemate.

* * *

Astra POV

I poked my head out of my nest and looked around. I didn't see anyone, so I crawled out and sat on the ground. My feet left deep footprints in the mud. I tried to smudge them, but the Careers wouldn't be fooled. I'd have to move. It was either the water or the trees, and I'd had enough water, so I picked a tree and started climbing.

I climbed as high as I could, and I reached the top of the trees. Everywhere I looked I saw trees stretching out as far as I could see. It was unexpectedly serene so high up, like I'd left the Games behind. I wondered what my parents were up to back home, and whether they were watching me right that moment.

I blew a kiss to the sky and whispered, "Love you, Mom and Dad." After I wiped away a stray tear I noticed how thirsty I was. I hoped it would rain soon, but the sky was clear.

_Wait. What's that?_

One tiny patch of sky was moving. I peered closer and saw it was a parachute.

_Wonder who that's for, _I thought. It drifted over above my head.

_Who, me? I have a sponsor? _I couldn't bear to hope, I watched as the parachute stayed above my head until it came to rest right in front of me. It was attached to a flimsy white box. I tore it open to find a package of dried fruit, a bag of nuts, and… a peppermint.

_Did District 11 send this? Did they mean this for Peppermint? Well tough luck. Mine now._

Underneath the fruit there was a little note. I picked it up.

_No man, or woman, left behind, _it said. I didn't know what that meant, but I had food, so who cared. I popped a nut in my mouth, but stopped after that. It made me thirstier. I'd have to risk drinking more of the canal water. I gently placed my supplies back in the box and climbed down to the ground. I found the cleanest water I could and took another drink. If it made me sick, hopefully the other Tributes would die of thirst quicker.

When I was done I climbed back up and watched the sky. I munched on a few nuts and fruits, though I was careful to save plenty for later. The peppermint I just looked at and turned over in my hands. It was too pretty to eat. I'd have to save that for a very special moment. Like my coronation.

* * *

Hailey POV

As far as Hunger Games went, this wasn't too bad. My backpack had two clear baggies filled with matches and strips of jerky as well as iodine tablets, so with that and my bread, I was ready to go. I rigged up a safety harness with my rope and soon I was flying through the trees like a real forest nymph. I didn't care if I saw the ground ever again.

Acee's words echoed in my head, and I found myself looking around for a weapon. I'd have to be a _warrior _forest nymph.

I drank from a baggie full of water while I looked. Seemed like my options were twigs, sticks, and branches. That meant a club, a spear, a javelin, or a really dumb sword. I wasn't strong enough to use a club, and a long spear might get caught in the branches. I settled on a javelin. I found a thin branch and snapped it, making a rough point. I did my best to pick at it until it was a little sharp. Then I remembered my trick with the Gamemakers. I chewed off a length of rope and tied it around a knotty portion of my javelin. Now when I threw it I could pull it back.

That gave me another idea. I descended until I was around five feet above the water. I searched the surface for movement. I saw something flash and threw my spear. When I pulled it back there was nothing on it, but the idea was sound. When my bread and jerky was gone, I'd be dining on nice yummy raw fish.

I heard a twig snap, and I fled back up the tree. It was probably a Career, if it was traveling so openly in broad daylight.

_No, it's not a Career, _I thought. _What's the enemy of a nymph? A huntsman. Huntsmen harm the animals and don't respect Nature. _I didn't like huntsmen.

I waited until the noise stopped. It might have been more than one huntsman, and the Games were serious. If I lost, I couldn't just start again. Playing pretend might make things easier, but this Game was life or death.

* * *

**Here are a few more POVs so the Games don't go by too fast. I decided that this was one of the first times Muttations were used in the Games, so Harvey got quite a surprise. The crocodile mutt is more or less just a gray croc with really hard scales. It's early on in the Games, so the muttations are still simple.**


	35. Sponsors, Sponsors Everywhere

**This chapter has POVs from everyone who got sponsored. The next chapter will return to more regular rotation.**

Sarla POV

_I ran toward Daniel and grabbed him tight._

_ "I thought you were dead!" I said as I squeezed._

_ "Of course not. Someone has to take care of you," he said. He patted me back._

My eyes snapped open, and Daniel wasn't there.

"Daniel?" I called. I saw him drifting away with a knife in his neck and pressed my hands to my eyes. My shoulders shook and my breath hitched as I remembered it all. I was in the Hunger Games, Daniel was dead, and I was probably going to follow him.

I cried silently. Timber was still asleep. I couldn't imagine going through this alone, and having him with me meant more than he could know.

I was wiping my eyes when he woke up. He started to say something, then stopped and looked away. He offered me a granola bar and looked away discreetly.

I examined our empty canteen. It was still empty.

"We should probably do something about that," I said.

"Yeah, but what?" Timber said. I didn't know either.

"Hey, what's that?" Timber said. He pointed overhead and I saw a parachute. I squealed and we hugged each other as we waited for it to settle.

I saw it had a seven on it, so I handed it to Timber.

"Ooooh, I hope it's water pills," he said.

"Either that or ice cream," I said.

"_Ice cream? _Who needs water? Let's get this open before it melts!" Timber said. He ripped open the package.

It was a hatchet.

"A _hatchet? _We can't drink a hatchet," Timber said. "But now the Careers better look out. _We _have a _hatchet."_

It had a handy cord around its handle, so he tied to a branch and we went back to plotting ways to get clean water. When I saw another parachute I thought I surely must be seeing things.

"Do you see that too?" I asked Timber.

"This one must be yours," he said. But it had another seven on it.

"You can open this one," he said.

"No, it's all right. I can't stand the suspense," I said. He tore it open and we saw package after package staring at us.

"It's like a birthday party in there!" I said. We took out two tins of salty meat, and I couldn't believe it when I saw a bottle of honey. We poured some right on our fingers and licked it up like a couple of happy bears. On the bottom there was a long sharp stick and a weird straw.

"This must be your noble weapon," Timber said, and he handed me the stick.

"Thanks, Galahad, but what's this?" I picked up the straw.

"Maybe we're supposed to drink through it. It is a straw," Timber said.

We packed all our loot back in the boxes and climbed down to the water. Timber slid the straw into the water and sipped.

"It tastes good," he said.

I tried some. It tasted just like the water back home.

We drank and ate one container of meat, filling it with water through the straw to save for later. We spread our bounty out and felt like kings.

"We must be the richest Tributes in the Arena," I said. Then another parachute drifted into view.

"No way," I said.

The parachute landed right in my lap. I picked it up. It had a beautiful red five on it.

_What more could we even want?_

"It's for you!" Timber said. I reverently opened the box and found…

A tin of meat.

* * *

Jean POV

_Miller, Alayza, Thompson, Daniel, Caldwell…_

I repeated the names in my head to burn them in. Five children killed to satisfy some dictator's whims. I hadn't helped any of them. I knew what was happening and didn't stop it. I deserved it more than any of them. There was no way I would win anyway. I was surrounded by killers. Even if I wanted to fight back, I didn't have a chance.

I bent down by the water to take a drink. It was probably poisoned, but I didn't care. I'd be equally dead whether it was water or the Careers.

I never asked for any of this. None of them did either. I just wanted a simple life. That was all any of us wanted. They just wanted to live in peace, and five of them were gone already.

Before I could drink, movement in the trees caught my eye. I watched a parachute spinning through the air.

_I have sponsors? They'd be better off spending money on Bree._

I opened the package. Might as well put it to use. Inside was a plastic bag filled with water, two tins of meat, and a broad knife. The food and water I understood, but did Cornflower really think I could kill someone? No, it must have been a specific request from a sponsor. She was just the messenger.

I looked at the supplies and realized someone thought I could win. They were probably entirely wrong, but they still thought I could win. I remembered the Cornucopia, when I vowed to remember every one of the deaths. I couldn't do that if I was one of them. I thought of my family. I didn't want to make them watch me die.

I laid the knife back in the box and drank the clean water. I wasn't ready to kill anyone, but I was ready to try to survive. Like it or not, I had a mission now. Every day that went by, more Tributes would need me to mourn for them. I knew nobody else would.

* * *

Apollo POV

Pepper muttered dire oaths as she failed again to spear a fish. I knew she was itching to fight, but we'd agreed that we should let the Careers take care of the weaker Tributes and hopefully get wounded in the process. She didn't want to kill the nicer children either, so she hadn't argued. We had plenty of supplies. The fishing was just to channel the aggression.

"We can't stay here much longer," Pepper said. "I'm going nuts here."

"What, you wanna just wander around?" I asked.

"I prefer to call it stalking," she said. "Hey, what's that?"

She whirled around and brandished her spear. It became clear that her target was a parachute, and she stood down.

"Sweet, sponsors!" she said. She snatched the parachute out of the air and opened the box. She pulled out a handful of rope and a pair of waterproof gloves.

"They fit you," she said after she tried them on.

"Hey, there's something in the bottom," I said. I pulled out a note.

"Non sine pulvere palma," I read. "What does _that _mean?" I turned the paper over.

"It means 'the prize cannot be won without effort,'" I read. "That's helpful."

"Yeah yeah, Orchard. You ready to go?" Pepper asked.

"Lead the way," I said.

* * *

Celestial POV

I sat on a branch and ate peas out of my jar. Who even puts peas in a jar? At least they were packed in water. I finished them off, them scooped water into the jar. I looked at it and tried to figure out whether I should risk it. I didn't even notice the parachute until it was draped over my head.

_No way! For me? Ooh I wonder what it is. _I opened the box.

It was a bottle of honey, a tin of meat, a long ship with a sharp point, and a fat straw. I picked the straw out right away. I recognized it from back home. We used them to filter salt out of water. I dipped it in the water and put my finger on the tip, transferring a straw load to my jar. When it was full, I drank a mouthful. It tasted just like home.

I had smeared a bit of honey on my finger and was just about to lick it off when I heard a chirp. I looked up and saw a furry face peering at me from behind some leaves.

"What are you?" I asked. It kept peering at me. It had a round, brown face with white whiskers and white rings around its eyes.

"You're not an otter, but you'll do," I said. I held out my finger coated in honey. It stretched out its neck and sniffed out it. It delicately lifted one paw, and I saw its skinny fingers were perfect for holding things. I kept perfectly still as it curled a finger around mine, then hopped back and licked it. It chirped happily and chattered at me as it held out its hand.

"Oh, you like that?" I asked. I squeezed a spoonful of honey into its hand. It licked it off, then waddled closer at sat next to me. As it licked its lips I noticed it had needle-sharp teeth. Good thing it ate honey and not girls.

"What _are _you?" I asked again when I saw the rest of it. Its fat body was brown with grey tips on its fur, and it had a broad, long tail, not quite like an otter's. It held out another hand.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" I asked. It waited for a minute, then hissed and bared its teeth.

"All right, you win," I said as I squeezed out another serving. Maybe it _did _eat girls. It reached past me and snatched the honey bottle.

"Hey!" I said. I grabbed at it, but it jumped into the water and dove beneath the surface. When it came up, it was squabbling over the bottle with another one.

"Just how many of you are there?" I asked. I tried to stay calm, but I wasn't sure I had enough honey.

* * *

Heidi POV

I frowned when I noticed a parachute over my tree. It was very nice of people to sponsor me, but I had plenty right now, and I didn't want to give away my position.

I opened the box and saw a small knife about as long as my hand. It folded up so I wouldn't cut myself, and its handle was made of some kind of metal. There was a note with it.

_Wonder who sent that? I don't have a mentor. Maybe it was my stylists. They probably want to tell me to wash my hair._

It read 'knives aren't just for killing'. Definitely not from a stylist. Maybe one of the other mentors sent it. Probably Miller's. It was right, too. I'd already thought of five uses for this nifty little piece.

* * *

Dane POV

I got back from halfhearted hunting while the others were still out. I'd kill when I needed to, but if they took care of a few that was fine with me. I noticed a little stiffness in my legs when I sat down. Probably the neverending dampness. Even back home there was land.

I wiped the sweat off my brow and set my spear down. I laid back and looked at the sky.

_Oh, a parachute. Wonder what's in it, _I thought. It was a pretty small box, but it could have been a hand grenade for all I knew. I waited for it to land and opened it up.

There were eight little brown discs inside. I looked one over and realized it was a cookie. I bit into its crispy shell and found a wonderful pillowy crème on the inside. It was one of the best things I'd ever eaten. It was like eating a chocolate cloud.

_I should probably share these, _I thought. I saved the rest in the box and waited for the others to come back.

I heard Valencia coming and watched as the others came into view. They were ahead of Valencia, but I knew she was the only one who would make so much noise.

"Hey, check it out! I got a sponsor gift!" I said.

"What is it?" Royal asked.

"It's cookies! Come get some," I said. I gave them two each and we all tucked in.

"These are amazing!" Valencia said.

"Thanks for sharing," Venus said.

Royal gave me a friendly slap on the back, and I winced as it jarred my sore arm. We'd wiped it with antiseptic and bandaged it, but it was still tender.

I saved my second cookie for later. It seemed really nice to share, but a little credit with the other Careers could help me a lot in the Games. Besides, food just didn't really appeal to me at the moment. I was sure I'd enjoy it later when I was hungrier.

* * *

**In case you couldn't tell, Celestial's mutts are sort of muskrat-raccoon hybrids. They're amphibious and they were supposed to be bloodthirsty, but since Muttation is still primitive, the Gamemakers done messed them up. They're still plenty dangerous, but they turned out to be unpredictably feral instead of completely wild.**


	36. Day 3

Spencer POV

I held one of the frog's legs in front of my face and squeezed my eyes shut. It was spongy and flabby and I wanted to gag just thinking about it.

_Come on, Spencer. You have to eat. _I hadn't eaten since the Games started. I clenched my fist and took a bite. My teeth slid against bone and stringy fat dangled from my mouth as I chewed. Somehow, it wasn't as nasty as I feared. Probably nothing was that nasty. It was fishy and slimy, but not as strong as it smelled. I nibbled the meat off the leg and stopped. I wasn't hungry enough anymore.

I almost cried when I noticed a parachute floating toward me.

_FOOD! That dang well better be food, _I thought as I opened it.

It was a small hunting knife… and a glorious sandwich on crunchy thick bread. I gobbled it down and tasted the wonders of turkey, bacon, tomato, lettuce, and some kind of sauce.

"Ha, frog! Look who's eating now!" I crowed to the dead frog's remains. After that I might not be hungry enough until the Games were over. No more frog for me, ever again.

* * *

Royal POV

I was hungry for another kill. I could feel my father glaring at me and berating me for my weakness.

_Blood covered my face and tears stung my eyes. My father looked at me with disgust and disappointment. I looked down at my best friend's body. Gem had been my pet ever since I was born. I loved him more than anything- even my power-hungry father._

_ My father spoke._

_ "Royal, you must understand that to be a great warrior you mustn't love anything. Love is a weakness. If you want to be a Victor someday you must take away all your weaknesses."_

_ I never wanted to be a Victor. My father always talked about me becoming a Victor to bring more pride to our family. All he wanted was more power and money._

_ "But my friend… he never did anything wrong," I croaked._

_ "But he did do something, boy," my father said. "He was weak, weaker than me, so I killed him. You need to become the strongest. If you don't, you will die. Remember, boy, survival of the fittest."_

I shied away from the memory, but the words haunted me. I needed to prove the other Tributes weren't the fittest. I had to be stronger.

"Royal," Venus whispered. She crouched down and pointed ahead.

I followed her gaze and saw Apollo and Peppermint in the distance. They were wading through the water holding twin spears.

"Valencia, why don't you wait here," I said. She sat down on a stump.

Venus and I crept forward. I probably could have hit one of them with my spear, but I didn't want them to pick it up. Venus drew back a knife.

Just before she threw, Apollo's head snapped in our direction. He signaled to Peppermint. Venus threw her knife, but Apollo ducked and backed against Peppermint. Peppermint crouched into a fighting stance and pointed her spear at us.

"You wanna fight? Bring it on!" she cried. Venus threw another knife, and it hit Apollo in the shoulder. He grunted and charged at her. I advanced toward Peppermint, keeping my eyes on her spear.

Apollo threw his spear at Venus. It slashed across her arm and she cried out. Then she threw another two knives, hitting him in the chest and stomach. He crumpled to the ground.

"Apollo!" Peppermint screamed. "_Get away from him!" _She sprinted to Venus and jammed her spear into her leg. It broke in half, and she threw the remaining half at me. I brushed it aside and aimed my spear at her, but before I could throw, Apollo heaved himself up and tackled me. I fell backwards and saw a glimpse of Venus struggling to her feet and pressing her hand against her wound.

"Get away, Pepper!" Apollo shouted. Peppermint took a step toward him, then glared at Venus with hatred I'd never seen before and darted away. Venus tried to throw a knife after her, but she couldn't keep herself balanced.

I stabbed at Apollo, but I knew he was already dying. He rolled off me and I got to my feet.

"We'd better get you back to the Cornucopia," I said as I checked Venus over.

"He's not dead yet," she said.

"He's gonna be. Let's just go," I said.

Back at the Cornucopia, Dane bandaged Venus' leg and I listened for Apollo's cannon. Venus looked up when it sounded. She didn't smile.

A parachute disrupted Dane's ministrations.

"What kind of timing is that? Unless it's medicine, I guess," I said. The box had a one on it, so Valencia opened it.

"It's for you," she said, and she handed me a pair of binoculars. There was a note with it.

_Look high_

Look high? Was Azure trying to tell me something? Look high…

Oh. The smallest, probably weakest Tributes would be up in the trees. Next time we went hunting I'd have to try my hand at climbing.

* * *

Apollo POV

I lay curled up on my side, breathing shallowly into the dirt. Venus and Royal were gone, but soon I would be too. At least Pepper was all right.

"Pepper," I whispered. "Pepper…" I tried to rise, but my legs wouldn't move.

"Apollo?" I heard a faint whisper. Pepper's head peeked out from behind a tree. She looked around to make sure the Careers were gone, then ran to my side.

"Apollo. You're all cut up," she said. She gripped my hand.

"You'll have to win without me," I said.

Her voice shook and her eyes shone.

"I don't want to win without you," she said. "You're my twin. You're half of me."

I coughed, and blood dribbled from my mouth. Pepper squeezed my hand tighter like she could pull me away from death.

"I love you, sis," I said.

"I love you, brother. I'll always love you," Pepper said. I started to drift away. Just before I floated away I heard her say one last thing.

"I'll make them pay. I'll make _her _pay. She'll pay it back a thousand times over."

* * *

**I intended to have this battle later in the story, but it came now instead. That's only important because Apollo was definitely a strong Tribute. He didn't place so low because he was weak. The battle that would have killed him either way just happened now.**

**19th place: Apollo Wilson**

**Apollo was cool. I liked him. He was strong but not a robot, loving but not a stereotype, and a follower without being mindless. His submitter requested he die before Peppermint, and he wouldn't have wanted to win without her anyway. This certainly sets up an interesting vendetta Peppermint now has for Venus. We'll have to see how that turns out. Thanks Maxmericashipper for sending in a guy who was rounded, realistic, and the sort of guy I'd like to know in real life.**


	37. Day 3 Continued

Venus POV

I stood up and tested my weight on my leg. I felt the skin stretching tight and sat back down.

"It'll heal, but I'll be stuck here a while," I said. It wasn't my first choice, but it was worth it. Together Apollo and Peppermint would have put up a real fight. With the Careers in the shape they were this year, we needed that kill.

"We can rest here a while," Royal said. "They're not going anywhere."

"No, you guys go ahead and keep hunting. I can hold down the fort," I said.

"Do you need some company?" Valencia asked. I tried not to sneer.

"Hardly."

Royal picked up his spear and headed off. Valencia followed after him, and Dane set off in a different direction.

I took the opportunity to evaluate my situation. The Careers would break apart eventually, and I had to be ready. Valencia was no threat, and I wasn't sure Dane had the guts to take me on. Royal was the only one I had to watch. I'd try to keep the peace for a while until we took out Peppermint and a few others. The rest were easy pickings.

Most of the Tributes could say they never asked for this. I didn't really know why I had. I wanted to show everyone that not all Careers are butchers. Some of us are just killers. I only realized now how awful that sounded. In my heart I hated how I could watch a person in agony and feel nothing at all. Even my own pain seemed dull and unimportant. I had only one redeeming quality. I wouldn't make the others suffer. I'd end them quickly and neatly.

Was that enough for redemption? I really didn't know.

* * *

Bree POV

I scooped another handful of water and drank it. I'd been drinking it for three days and I wasn't dead yet, though it did have some… icky side effects. As long as I took in more than I put out I hoped I'd be okay. I'd found some cattails earlier and learned that the yummiest part was the inside of the stem. I was always hungry, but I wasn't starving. I picked one and munched on it. It was sweet and stringy like celery.

I'd never seen anything like the Arena before, and it really was lovely. The glassy water was broken by scattered water lilies and swooping dragonflies. I picked one of the flowers and turned it over in my hands. Even in the Hunger Games there was still something pretty.

I wondered what Nate was up to. I waved at the sky and trailed my hand through the water. Honestly, I was surprised I'd made it this far. I hoped Nate didn't miss me too much. He'd probably miss me a lot more soon.

I took out my plastic cow and ran it along the ground, mooing for it. I tapped its nose against my hand and pretended to feed it some hay.

"There you go, May. Can't have you going hungry," I said. I wondered if I'd ever see a real cow again. I thought about bottle feeding calves and jumping across hay bales. There was so much I missed about home, and in my heart I thought it was gone forever. I hoped whoever won was happy. There were enough sad people already.

I heard a noise and scampered back into my tree. My hands were raw and my limbs were stiff from sleeping. I pressed against the trunk and looked down. I saw Royal creeping through the Arena.

He was looking up.

I tried to squeeze behind the tree out of sight, but I knew it was too late. He looked right at me and drew back his spear. I didn't see any malice in his gaze, just focus. I pressed my cow to my lips and closed my eyes.

* * *

Harvey POV

I watched the water like a hawk, looking for any sign of movement. I didn't see anything, but I wasn't about to find out. I had enough food to last me the rest of the Games, and my water would last another day if I stayed still. I had no intention of doing anything but that.

I'd waited for cannons all day and heard two. With Caldwell, that left eighteen people in the Games. I wondered who the two most recent were. I hoped for Venus and Royal, but more likely it was Astra and Bree. Only the good die young.

I heard a twig break and almost fell off my branch. I dug my nails into the branch and watched Dane wade by. I felt entirely conspicuous hanging from the underside of a branch, and sure enough, he looked up and saw me. He hesitated, then drew back his spear.

I yelped and let go of my branch. I tumbled through the branches and tried to catch hold of one. I couldn't get a grip, and I splashed into the water. The second I hit the surface I felt a surge of water beside me and felt a dozen knives clamping onto my leg. I thrashed around and tried to pull myself free, but the monster pulled me underwater and rolled. A chunk of flesh tore from my leg and I screamed, inhaling a deep breath of water. Immediately my chest seized up and I groped in panic for the surface.

The monster swallowed its bite and crushed my chest in its jaws. At that point, it didn't even hurt. I just felt a terrible pressure. I pounded at the thing's snout and tried to shout at it.

_Have you just been waiting there until I finally moved? Why couldn't you go bother someone else? Why couldn't you eat Royal, you miserable carcass? Why do you hate me?_

In the second before my chest cracked like an egg and all I could see was blood, I swear that thing smiled at me.

* * *

Dane POV

I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to kill some boy who never did anything to me. He didn't even ask for this like I did. But I knew if I left him, the others might not make it quick. I urged myself to throw. Then he took care of it for me.

Harvey dropped to the ground and landed in the water. What I saw next I will never speak of again. A form out of my nightmares reared from the water and sank its fangs into his leg. I saw him instinctively scream and wanted to warn him that he'd drown. I saw the bubbles floating up and wondered which would kill him first. Then the thing…

_Oh, God. It _rolled.

Harvey's flesh peeled off like a scaled fish. My stomach churned in time with the water and I watched the meat slide down its throat. Harvey pounded at its nose. I wished he'd stop. I didn't want him to live through another second of that.

The edges of my vision faded when the thing grabbed Harvey's chest. I was just about to spear him and end his misery when I heard a crunch and he went limp. The thing towed his body to a shallow area and lay on its belly. It began to feed.

I was too close to miss, but I didn't know if my spear could even penetrate that hide. Harvey was dead anyway. I didn't need to risk injury fighting a monster, and I didn't want to. I turned around and ran.

* * *

**I just noticed I forgot to provide a POV for the District and Mentor after Caldwell and Alayza died, so I'll add that next chapter.**

**Obituaries:**

**18th place: Bree**

**Bree was a sweet, innocent girl who was in way over her head. I probably should have killed her at the Bloodbath, but I was a softie. She'd have been quite the underdog if she won, and we all knew it couldn't happen. I had to quit stalling and start killing- it's day 3. She'll be missed. Thanks Vhagor for sending in a girl who wasn't naturally great at everything and was more like what would really happen if you threw teenagers into a death match.**

**17th place: Harvey**

**I never liked Harvey, for the dumbest reason: I really don't like the name Harvey. I tried to treat him fair anyway, and he did a good job. His submitter mentioned he was clumsy, so I knew that would be what did him in. He made history, though- he's one of the very first Tributes to die by mutt. Thanks Kkfanatic for a Tribute that wasn't easy to get along with and showed that sometimes jerks die in the Games, but it's still a tragedy.**


	38. District 8 Epitaph

Drone POV

First District out of the Games, not that it mattered. Dead was dead, whether second or twenty-second. It happened every year eventually, except my year and the year my mentor Page won. I hadn't expected anything different. Caldwell was a good kid. He was smart and polite, but he was different. Different didn't fly in the Games. The tallest flowers got cut first.

* * *

District 8 POV

Life went on. The school was a quieter place without Alayza. With Caldwell gone, it stayed the same. His parents mourned privately. They always were strange folks. There was a sober funeral for Caldwell and a boisterous celebration of like for Alayza. Most of us hadn't been rooting for them anyway. We couldn't take the heartbreak.

* * *

**Forgot this one! From now on I'll try to lump a few together, since they're so short.**


	39. Sponsors and Vengeance

Aspen POV

I tried to uncurl my fingers, but they seemed to be jammed. I have a hundred tiny grass cuts stinging my skin, and what I didn't have was a working bow.

"Let me see," Valerie said. She teased my hand open and pressed some leaves into it. They felt cool and soothing.

"It shouldn't be this hard to make a simple bow. It is literally so simple cavemen did it," I said.

"Even if you make one, can you shoot well enough to make it better than running if another Tribute comes?" Valerie asked.

"I don't know. Eventually I'll have to," I said. I let the leaves fall to the ground and got back to work.

Valerie said something, but I was concentrating too hard to hear. She tapped my shoulder.

"Look," she said. She pointed at a parachute. It was attached to a long, thin box.

_It couldn't be, _I told myself. We opened it and saw a beautiful black bow with six arrows.

"But how? We don't even have a Mentor," I said.

"I don't know. Let's just use it," Valerie said.

I picked it up and aimed an arrow at a nearby tree. The arrow shot into the wood and buried itself to the bottom of its tip.

"All right! We're back in the Game," I said.

* * *

Valerie POV

"Who was that for?" I asked when I heard a cannon. Royal had taken care of Bree, and if that was for Peppermint, it might be time for me to move forward.

"I dunno. Hope it was Peppermint," Royal said.

"Hey, where's Dane?" I asked.

"He's been gone a long time," Royal said. "Hope he's all right, I guess."

Venus limped into the Cornucopia and poked around.

"Some of our food is missing. So is a canteen," she said. "He's not coming back." Her face was empty of expression.

"He split? Eh, he wasn't very dedicated anyway. Saves us having to kill him later," Royal said.

A parachute appeared.

"Hey!" I said as I pointed it out.

"I noticed," Venus said. I ignored her and opened the box. It held a long black whip with a sturdy handle. There was also a note, which I tucked away before the other Careers could see.

"It must be for me, since you already have a spear," I said to Royal.

"Can you even use that thing?" he asked.

"Of course I can. How hard is it?" I cracked it, and as luck would have it, it snapped back like I'd fired a gun.

When I had a moment alone, I took the note out and read it. It only had one word.

_Learn._

* * *

Timber POV

I cheered Sarla on as she tried to attack a tree with her stick. It didn't have enough weight at the tip to be an effective spear past about ten feet, so she was using it as more of a staff. It was nice hard wood, though. It gouged a nice sized hole in the bark of her opponent.

"If the Careers just stand nice and still for a few minutes, I've got them," she said. She sighed and sat down.

"Maybe they'll all kill each other," I said.

"That's our only hope, isn't it?" she said.

"At least we'll die rich," I said. I spread our supplies around and enjoyed the sight.

Sarla smiled suddenly and jumped up.

"Look, another one!" she cried. "Thanks, sponsors! You guys are awesome!"

It had a five on it, so Sarla opened it. It was a hollow tube like a fat straw, and it had three darts inside.

"Wow, a blowgun. This should be easy enough for me," she said.

"Try it out," I urged. Sarla cleared out two of the darts and carefully put the pipe to her mouth. She blew out with all her strength, and the dart flew into a tree twenty feet away.

"Do you think they're poisoned?" I asked as she removed it.

"I don't know. Let's not find out," she said. She picked at it carefully with two fingers.

* * *

Pepper POV

I sat with a stick across my crossed legs. My knuckles were white as I dragged my knife across it, hacking it to a fine point. I wasn't sure which I would use to kill her. Maybe I'd hit the other leg with the spear, then cut the life out of her with the knife. Of course, I'd have to take out her arms first. Maybe then I'd use her own knives on her like she used them on my brother.

When I came into this I was ready to kill, but only when I needed to. Now I found myself ready to hunt and murder. I felt primal and free, like I'd broken every norm and risen above social expectations. I'd have to watch myself. I didn't want to be like her. I vowed that she would be the only one. The rest I'd just defend myself from.

I felt something brush my side and turned to see a parachute settling to the ground. I pulled the material aside and found a long, skinny box.

_What you got for me, Orchard? _When I saw it, I couldn't help but smile.

It was a long iron pole with a wickedly sharp steel tip. Next to it was a bottle with a skull on it. There were no ingredients, but I got the idea. I put on the gloves and poured the liquid over the tip of the spear. When I picked the spear up I saw a note in the bottom, but I finished prepping it before I looked.

_Revenge him, _it read. It seemed Orchard was almost as furious as I was. When I talked to her earlier she just seemed merciless, but now she was vengeful.

"I won't let you down," I called to the sky. "And I won't let him down either."

* * *

**More sponsors this time! Things will be heating up next chapter, though.**


	40. Careers and Runaways

Astra POV

I didn't feel too good. I was always thirsty, and the more I drank, the… grosser it came out. I knew things were serious when I threw up seconds after I drank.

_Maybe if I just don't drink for a few hours and pace myself I can keep the bugs to a minimum, _I thought. I curled up in my tree and tried to rest. I felt so tired, and maybe if I stayed still I wouldn't need as much water. I pressed a hand to my head to stifle the nagging headache I had.

Time went by, and I wondered if I should eat. I wasn't hungry, and I didn't want to use up water digesting.

Two cannons had gone off in the day. I hoped they were Careers, but they were more likely to be Sarla and Timber. I wondered when my cannon would go off. I had a plan for surviving, but I didn't have one for winning. The Careers would have to screw up big time. This was their game to lose.

It began to rain lightly, and I caught some water in my hands. I liked the drops off and marveled at their sweet taste. If it kept up, I wouldn't have to drink the dirty water anymore. I only needed to hold out a few more days. The Games couldn't last forever.

* * *

Dane POV

My breath caught in my lungs and I felt like I was breathing through a straw. I collapsed onto an island and curled into a ball.

I didn't sign up for that. I didn't sign up to watch children get torn apart by monster crocodiles.

_But you did, _I thought. And I had. I'd signed up for everything. I had _asked _for this.

_Pull yourself together and get through it, _I thought. I sat up and caught my breath. I felt stiff all over, and my arm throbbed from all the movement. I unwrapped a bit of the bandage and took a peek. All I saw was a little red line where Peppermint had slashed me. It wasn't even puffy.

As I wrapped the bandage back up my arm jerked slightly.

_What was that? _I thought. I held it steady and finished wrapping. I picked up my canteen to replace some of the water I'd burned. I took a mouthful of water, but my throat didn't want to swallow. It was like trying to drink with my nose pinched shut. I forced the water down a sip at a time and put the canteen down.

_What's the plan? _I thought. _Steer clear of the Careers. Keep moving in case they come for you, and keep an eye out for other Tributes. If you find one in bad shape… do what you need to. If they're still strong, we'll cross that bridge when we get there._

I'd already come a long way, so I knew I could rest a while without risk. I was sweating like crazy and my heart was pounding like I'd run a marathon. I lay back, then jerked up, looked around for crocodile monsters, and crawled between the roots of a tree. With luck, they wouldn't be able to reach me there.

* * *

Valencia POV

I laid a hand on Royal's chest and watched his face. He was asleep, and so was Venus. I rose carefully, then crept to the foot of our bag and picked up Royal's spear near its tip. I bent over Royal and looked at him one last time.

"Shame you're so cute," I whispered. "This would be a lot easier if you were ugly."

I wrapped both hands around the spear and slammed it down into his throat. His eyes snapped open and he tried to breathe, but no sound came out. I watched his eyes flutter shut and pulled the spear out.

I knew I had mere seconds before his cannon woke Venus, so I crept to her bed and crouched over her.

"I never liked you," I said. I raised the spear.

Something blurred in front of me and blood flew everywhere. I looked down and my chest was covered in my own spraying blood.

_What?_

Venus sat up, ignoring the blood spraying her like a hose.

"You think it's that easy? You weren't suspicious when I moved my bag? You didn't notice my sleeping bag was _unzipped_? Girl, you never should have messed with the Careers," she said.

I dropped the spear and pressed my hands against my slashed throat. Blood shot through my fingers, and I toppled over.

_That wasn't supposed to happen. None of this was. I didn't want to be in the Games, _I thought. Venus stood over me and watched as I twitched. She opened her mouth to speak.

"I never liked you either, bitch."

* * *

**The Careers have split, and Venus is on the loose! Looks like Royal's note didn't do too much damage, though Bree would say otherwise.**

**Obituaries:**

**16th place: Royal**

**Royal was a pretty good guy, even if he was a Career. He didn't go out of his way to make Tributes suffer. He just wanted to win. If he hadn't lived in District 1 he probably would have grown up to be a decent family man. I had this breakup for the Careers planned as soon as I received Valencia. It turned out to be pretty wimpy, since there were only four Careers and one split, but she did what she could. Thanks Dakota77 for a Career who was just a Career and not a monster.**

**15th place: Valencia**

**We all knew she was gonna bite it. Her type never wins. Her plan was the only way she could outlive the Careers, but it ended up failing. She did better than she had any right to. I tried my best not to make her a complete femme fatale, and she ended up more like a Valley Girl with a little brain. Thanks thepencilunleashed for a Career that could have been a stereotype but hopefully wasn't.**

**Things don't look good for Astra and Dane. If you can read the symptoms and know what's going on, you know their chances. If not, you'll have to wait and see.**


	41. District 1 epitaphs

Azure POV

I told him to stay away from that dame. She was nothing but trouble, and look where she got him. I'd hoped she'd go in the Bloodbath and take care of herself, but she was painfully persistent. I'd seen a lot of Careers through my life in One. Royal wasn't like most of them. He was capable and solid, but he was still a boy. He wasn't the perfect killing machine the Academy tried to make. He wasn't like me. Tell the truth, he was a better man than me. I'd have killed Valencia the first day. With the Careers this year, I probably would have won in three days. Royal had the ability to win, but not the heart of a killer. I wondered who it was that tried to make him that way. I hoped he was happy.

* * *

District 1 POV

Valencia wasn't mourned. We were surprised she made it that long, and enraged at what she did to Royal. He was her own District partner. We had honor in One, and she wasn't worth our tears. Royal was a disappointment. He was a waste of our time and he blew our shot at getting another Victor this year. Second District out of the running. What an embarrassment. Whoever came next year better take it more seriously.

* * *

Royal's father POV

What a waste. What a colossal, useless waste. My son, dead before the Games were half over, dead with two kills to his name, dead by the hands of that bimbo. At least she had spunk. I'd poured years into Royal, giving him everything he needed to bring us honor and riches. He threw it all away like the coward he was. The only thing he ever did right was remove himself from my life.


	42. Hiders and Fighters

Celestial POV

I watched the faces in the sky. I hadn't expected Royal to go, but Valencia was no surprise. Fourteen children left. The Games were almost half over.

The critters and I had established a few ground rules. I was allowed to pet one's head if it sat beside me by itself, but they didn't like me petting the rest of them. I was to share any food I found and in exchange, they wouldn't rip me to shreds. At least, I hoped that was the deal. I patted one as it licked the last bits of meat from our tin. It chirped.

A branch snapped, and a dozen furry heads turned to follow the noise. The one closest to me hissed.

_That's interesting, _I thought. _I might be able to use that. But who is it?_

I scooted around the tree and peeked at the intruder. I saw its bent form stumbling through the shallows and heard it panting. It was Dane.

_Dane? You don't look so good. _I wondered if I should run or climb higher. Dane was a Career, but he let me go at the Bloodbath, and he didn't look like he was in any shape to attack. He crumpled to the ground and his back arched suddenly. He saw me.

"Celestial?" he muttered. His voice was hoarse and pained. I saw he didn't even have his spear anymore, and there was no way he could fake that seizure. I climbed down from the tree and cautiously approached him.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"I don't know what's wrong. I can hardly breathe. Everything hurts and-" his body convulsed. He fell limp, then wiped his mouth.

"You're not with the Careers," I said.

"I don't think I ever was," he said.

"Is that why you let me go?" I asked.

"I couldn't kill you. I wish things had been different. Could it ever have happened?" he asked. He coughed, and a string of spit oozed from his mouth.

I took his hand. It jerked, then settled.

"If things had been different. We couldn't even get to know each other," I said.

"I'm glad I found you. Win this thing, okay?" he asked.

"I'll try," I said.

"Stay with me," Dane asked. His entire body stiffened. His throat tightened and I heard him struggling to breathe. The color drained from his face, and it took on a grayish tinge. He seemed to empty, and then he fell still.

"Dane?" I asked. I squeezed his hand. "Dane?"

His cannon sounded. I wondered what would have happened if it wasn't for the Games. Now we would never know.

* * *

Ever POV

A cannon sounded. One less Tribute to kill me. One more set of mourning parents.

I looked at my weapon. It wasn't a set of throwing knives, but it would do. I'd opened the fishing kit and saw it had a little box filled with hooks. I'd taken strips of tape and taped one hook after another to the end of a stick I snapped off. I wasn't sure it would kill someone, but it would hurt. I knew if I stayed in one place too long I'd run afoul of the Careers eventually, so I gathered my gear and started walking. Every time I heard a noise I jumped, but it was always just a frog or a bird.

I passed by a cluster of roots and jerked around.

_Was that a face?_

It was. It was the boy from Three. He was crouched down in the darkness, holding a knife. I brought up my spear but made no move to throw. We stared at each other mere feet apart.

"I'm not a Career, and neither are you. Let's leave the killing to them," I said.

"How do I know you won't kill me as soon as I turn around?" he asked.

"Don't turn around," I said. He watched me warily. I stepped back.

A bird burst out the reeds behind me and flew between us. Spencer darted forward and slashed at me with his knife. I stumbled back and fell into the shallow water. I thrust my spear up at him reflexively and the hooks caught in his side. He screamed, and I jerked my spear out. The hooks tore at his flesh.

I hadn't wanted a fight, but I had one now. I had to end it. I jabbed my spear into the shoulder of Spencer's knife arm and twisted. He cried out but didn't drop the knife. He stabbed at my chest and I twisted too slow to avoid a shallow gouge. I grabbed the spear with both hands and ground it sideways, ripping the skin on his collarbone. He dropped the knife. I slammed my shoulder into him and grabbed it. I stuck it into his chest, then pulled it out and stabbed him again. He fell limply into the water.

I saw what I had done to him and vomited into the water. I grabbed the knife and spear and ran like I could run away from the memory. The cannon chased after me. I'd known I'd have to kill to win the Games, but that didn't change what had happened. I cut a boy apart. The whole country watched me do it. I was a murderer, and I'd have to do it again to survive. I tried to prepare myself.

* * *

Heidi POV

Another cannon. The Games were half over. The remaining Careers were probably weeding the last of the weaker Tributes. I was more of a target every minute.

I weighed my options. If I stayed with my current strategy, I'd slip up eventually. If I wanted to survive, I needed to lay low and be the best hider. That was how the last Victor won. They wouldn't expect the same strategy twice in a row.

I gathered my things and climbed as high as I could go. I tied an anchor rope around the tree and my waist and watched for Tributes.

As I was munching on some of my supplies, I saw a figure in the distance. I reached into my backpack and laid a hand on my knife. I saw it was Venus, and I tried to keep still. She was obviously on the hunt, and I could only hope she didn't see me. She was looking up, though. That wasn't good.

My tree had thick leaves, and maybe I was high enough that she couldn't see me. She crept stealthily through the canals, stirring up only the smallest ripples. I saw a throwing knife ready in one of her hands. I wondered how many she'd already killed.

_Don't look at my tree don't look up, _I thought. I tried to concentrate on the thought so hard she'd have to obey.

_Can she even throw a knife this high? Of course she can, she's Venus._

Venus waded past my tree. I held my breath. She looked around, and she looked up at its middle.

_You don't need to look up here. Nobody would climb this high, _I thought.

She didn't look higher. She checked behind her and continued on her way.

I was so relieved I'd have fallen out of the tree if I wasn't tied on.

_Oh thank you, Venus. I love you, _I thought. But I knew it wouldn't last forever. Someone would find me eventually, and I'd have to fight.

* * *

**I realized I was totally neglecting Ever, so here's some stuff about her. The others I forgot will be coming next. You probably figured it out, but Dane got tetanus from the cut Peppermint gave him. Once you show symptoms there's no cure, so his Mentor was helpless.**

**Obituaries:**

**13th place: Dane**

**Dane didn't belong here. He could have won, but he didn't want to kill that many people. I wish I could have developed his relationship with Celestial more, but I guess these star-crossed lovers only got so far. As soon as his submitter said he got a tender wound in the Cornucopia, I knew I was giving him tetanus. At least he got to die with Celestial. Thanks Asgardiangrizzly for a Career that was about more than just killing.**

**12th place: Spencer**

**I think Spencer might be in a few other SYOTs, which is fine. I just hope he won one of those. He was competent enough. I noticed the only Tributes who killed people were the Careers and Alayza. Most of these Tributes are pretty peaceful, but I thought at least one should get in a kill. It was unfortunate how it went down. Spencer thought the movement of the bird was Ever attacking, and it escalated. I never intended for Spencer to win, since he had such a crap life. I thought the only fitting end was a crap death. Surely his fortunes will improve in the afterlife. They can't get much worse. Thanks Stellaslomp for a Tribute that went out fighting, and may the odds be more in his favor in other stories.**

**Oops, I made a typo! Fixed it.**


	43. Legend

Venus POV

Enough. Time to stop fooling around and end this. I stalked through the canals, creeping along low branches when I could to minimize noise. I scanned the trees for any Tributes that may have taken to the skies. The thick foliage blocked my view of the canopy.

I didn't stop when the cannons went off. My only competition was Dane and Peppermint, but I could take them if I had to. I ran a knife through the water as I walked. Soon I'd run it through something else.

I was tired of being wet, tired of feet covered in mud, tired of the warm, sticky air. I wanted to get back home and get my crown. Nothing personal to the other Tributes. I just had to kill them.

Something moved in the trees, and my head snapped toward it. I threw a knife, and a bird dropped from a tree. I swore as I retrieved my knife.

_The smallest Tributes will probably be high in the trees, _I thought. _I should start there. _I crouched down and darted from one root bundle to another so I wouldn't be seen. I kept my eyes on the treetops until I noticed two Tributes sitting on a branch overlooking the water. It was the pair from Twelve. The boy was holding a bow, and the girl was fussing with some leaves.

I didn't know how good the boy was with the bow. I'd seen him practicing in the Training Room, and he'd improved admirably in three days. I ducked until only my head was above the water and slid through a root bundle. I stood up between two branches. I was close enough to throw, and the branches kept me hidden. I kept my arm low as I threw my knife. It sank into the boy's chest, and he toppled forward.

"Aspen!" the girl cried. She ran to his side and flipped him over. He reached for his bow, but he couldn't get a grip on it. The girl pulled out my knife and pressed down on his wound. Her head came up and she looked around. She didn't see me, and she didn't see my knife until it was between her ribs.

Two cannons sounded within seconds of each other. I left the bodies, hers lying over his. Even in death she was trying to stop the blood flow. Anywhere but the Games, that would have been admirable.

* * *

Astra POV

My stomach churned and I heaved. Nothing came up. I didn't have anything in me. At least the Careers wouldn't kill me.

I thought I was seeing things until the parachute landed on top of me. I fumbled it open and saw a bottle full of water. I focused my eyes with difficulty on the note.

_Use your head._

I opened the bottle to take a gulp, then stopped.

_Did you even read that note?_

I took a small sip of the clean, clear water and sat still. It stayed down, so I took another sip, then capped the bottle and slowed my breathing. I felt miles better already, but whatever was in the dirty water was still inside me. I'd have to take it easy awhile until it flushed out. This was probably all the water I'd have for the rest of the Games, so I'd have to make it last. I curled up inside a snarl of roots and rested against the ground. The less I moved, the less water I'd need.

Hailey POV

Only ten Tributes were left. I hoped the Huntsmen were gone. Most of us were just peaceful forest creatures. It was the Huntsman that made things dangerous.

_You can't win the Game with them around, _I thought. But how could I fight them? They were much bigger and stronger than I was. I was just a little nymph.

_Use a weapon, _I thought. I looked at my rope and started stringing a snare. I rigged a loop on the ground and bent a stick around it so that if a Tribute stepped in it, it would spring shut and jerk him up off the ground. It took all the rope except the line on my spear, but when I tested it with a stick, it worked perfectly. I settled in to wait.

It wasn't like in books, when heroes go fishing and catch a ton of fish right away. I waited until the sun was about to set. My legs kept falling asleep and I had to shift every few minutes. I thought of what I would do when I got home. I would buy paper and pencils and all sorts of art stuff and share it with anyone who wanted to draw with me. People might say I should draw the Games, but I didn't think I would. I wanted to draw nice things, like the Games never happened.

Someone was coming along. I could tell from the large frame and lack of swagger that it was Jean. I wished it was someone else, but he had to go eventually if I was going to go home. He walked past my tree and stepped into the snare. I heard the stick snap and he flew up into the air and dangled by his foot.

Jean yelped and swiped the air around him with a knife. He twisted around to try to see who caught him and curled up to release himself.

I watched him struggle and drew back my spear.

_You gonna kill him? _I asked myself. _He never hurt you._

I closed my eyes, steeled myself, and threw before I could think better of it. The spear lodged into Jean's stomach. He cried out and saw the rope. He followed it up to me and threw his knife at me. I ducked aside and felt my balance lurch as I leaned over the edge of the branch. My arms windmilled and I toppled over into the air.

There were no branches directly underneath me, and my stomach disappeared as I fell. I looked up at the sky and pretended I was going up. I guess I wasn't Theseus after all, and I wasn't a nymph either. I was Pegasus, and it was time for me to fly home.

* * *

**I decided it was time to get things moving. Expect more deaths soon.**

**Obituaries:**

**Valerie and Aspen died so close together I'm counting them as a tie.**

**11-10th: Aspen**

**If the Games had a yearbook, Aspen would be class clown. I definitely couldn't see him killing anyone except reflexive self-defense, so he was always unlikely to win. He died quickly, and he didn't have to see Valerie go. I couldn't keep the alliances around forever just because I liked them, so I let the pair go. Thanks Falknerblue for a Tribute that didn't let even the Games get him down.**

**11-10th: Valerie**

**Valerie always seemed to end up as Aspen's sidekick. I did my best to make her shine in her own way, but I don't think I got her as well as some of the others. She was a healer, and healers don't win the Games. She went out with her boots on, though. Thanks Vhagor for a Tribute who probably knew she wouldn't win and did her best to help her fellow Tributes.**

**9th: Hailey**

**Hailey was clever. I was going to kill her in the Bloodbath, but when Acee became her Mentor, she could have won. I decided to have her die by more or less an accident because that's how some kids die in the Games. She was going to just fall out of the tree, but I thought it would be less stupid if she at least took someone with her. I want to clarify that she didn't go nuts and think she was a nymph. It was just a coping mechanism. Thanks thepencilunleashed for one of my personal favorite personalities and a worthy Tribute.**

**Since these three died so close together, I'll have Final Nine interviews and Three and Twelve obituaries next.**


	44. Interviews and Epitaphs

Acee POV

Hailey didn't deserve that. She should have been at home drawing dragons and fairies. I should have been at home too. I should have been making the harmless machines I built to do my chores or help my neighbors do their jobs. I used those inventions in the Games to find my way out. Hailey couldn't use her drawings. After the Games I'd never used my gift again. Neither would Hailey.

* * *

District 3 POV

Nobody knew Spencer. To the kids at the orphanage, his death just meant another mouthful of food. Not many people knew Hailey either, but those who did knew something wonderful was lost. Her parents entered her room looked at all the drawings on her walls. Thy picked one, a portrait of the family, and gave the rest away to anyone who wanted one. They said a piece of her would live on in every home that had one, and they were right.

* * *

Tribune Marcellus POV:

"Good morning Panem! I'm Tribune Marcellus, roving Capitol reporter, bringing you exclusive interviews with the families of the Hunger Games Top Nine!"

I held the microphone up at Shego Lorieta.

"Miss Lorieta, did you always know your daughter was going to fight in the Hunger Games?"

"She was always a determined and resourceful child. She was six years old when she told us she was going to win the Games," her mother said.

"Mr. Lorieta, did you teach your daughter any of the skills she's shown?" I asked her father.

"Everyone in Two knows their way around a fight. I was no different," he said.

"One last question," I asked them both. "Would you give your daughter any advice?"  
Her mother spoke. "Keep doing what you're doing. You have this in the bag."

"Miss Yeager, how did you feel when Dane expressed his feelings for your daughter?"

"Celestial's really too young for that sort of thing, but it was darling," her mother said.

"What do you think Celestial's plan is now?" I asked her father.

"I don't think my little girl is aiming for a fight. She'd rather pet those furry things," he said.

"Any last words of advice?"

"Stay away from Venus," her father said.

The Mondins stared at me with stony eyes. Mr. Mondins held his wife as she wiped her eyes.

"Why won't you leave us alone? We already lost one child," she spat.

I tried to speed things up.

"Any advice for Sarla?"

"Come home," her father said in a cracked voice.

"You must be pleased to see Astra is recovering from her illness," I said to her parents.

"She looks much better now. I knew what the problem must have been. It took a little doing, but we raised the money for her water," her father said.

"She's back in the fight now," I said. "Any advice?"

"We miss you, sunshine. Come home soon," her mother said.

"How do you feel about Timber's alliance with Sarla?" I asked Araminta Jones.

"She seems like a nice young girl. They could have been wonderful friends. And thank you to all the wonderful people who sent them such nice things," she said.

"Timber will take care of her. He's a good boy," his father said.

"Any last advice?" I asked.

"Let the others take care of themselves. Just stay safe," his father said.

"We've all been very impressed with Ever's skills," I said to her father. "Has she always been so precocious?"

"She's always liked to throw things. She wasn't always good at it," her father said.

"Ever is a favorite among the Capitol bettors. Do you think she'll be home soon?" I asked her mother.

"You can never tell with the Games, but things are speeding up," her mother said.

"Can we get a final word of advice?" I asked.

"Pick your battles. Let your opponent take the fight to you," her father said.

"Heidi's strategy is one of the less common ones we see in the Games. It takes courage to sneak into the Cornucopia," I said to her parents.

"Heidi was always such a quiet child. I've never seen her like this," her father said.

"Perhaps it will work out for her. Do you have any advice for your daughter?"

"Keep it up. Make them look for you," her father said.

"Obviously, Jean's in a little trouble right now. How do you think he'll get himself out?" I asked Mrs. Roberts.

She didn't respond. She and her husband were looking through papers and rifling through a metal box.

"This really isn't a good time," his father said without looking up. "We need to get Jean help. Could you come back later?"

"I'll make it quick. Anything you want to say to Jean?"

"We love you, honey," his mother said.

"Hurry up and get back, Jean! We miss you," a little girl interrupted.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were remarkably composed for a couple that just lost their son. Mr. Wilson shook my hand as I entered, and Mrs. Wilson showed me to a chair.

"All Panem's abuzz with Peppermint's vendetta against Venus. How do you think that will end?" I asked.

"Either Venus will be dead or they both will," Mrs. Wilson said.

"How did you react when you saw the twins were going in together?" I asked.

"We knew as soon as Peppermint was Reaped what Apollo would do. And we knew what would happen to him." He put his arm around his wife. "It's what he would have wanted. We'll never stop missing him, but we're glad he died protecting what he loved."

"There you have it, Panem! The final nine will continue their battle and one will find that the odds truly were in their favor."

* * *

District 12 POV

We hadn't expected anything different. In twenty-four years, we'd lost forty-eight girls and boys. After the first five years we'd started a graveyard just for them. We wanted them to rest together as they died together. Valerie and Aspen would lie side by side. They didn't know each other well until the Games, but now they were together forever. None of us knew when District 12 would laugh again without Aspen, and Valerie wasn't around to heal the pain her death brought us.


	45. Endings and Obituaries

Jean POV

I pressed my hand to my stomach as I bent over Hailey. I'd heard her cannon go off, but I checked all the same. I didn't feel any anger toward her. She was just doing what they'd made her do.

Her spear wasn't especially sharp, and it only penetrated a few inches into my stomach. If I had a way to treat it, I'd recover. As it was, I couldn't hold my blood in forever. I was already too weak to fashion a bandage from Hailey's or my clothes.

_I'm sorry, Hailey. I'm sorry they did this to you, and I'm sorry I won't be able to remember you. Suzie, Kitty… please don't watch._

"Ma, Pa?" I said to the sky. "Don't let them watch. Please don't let them see."

I slumped against Hailey and began to sob. If I had the strength I would have wailed. So many children dead already, and it would never end. All of Panem watched us die and nobody ever stopped it. I wanted to see my parents again. I wanted to give my sisters horsey rides and help my parents in the field. I wondered what the other Tributes had dreamed of before they died. None of us would be the same. At least my death meant someone else lived. I hoped they would remember.

"I'm sorry I didn't win for you. I'm sorry," I said to my parents. I felt something settle on my arm. I realized it was a parachute.

_What is it, a consolation prize? "Sorry you died, here's a cookie before you go?" _I thought. I opened the tiny box. All it held was a note.

_I'll remember you all- Cornflower_

I clutched the note and cried in relief. Even though I was going to die, I hadn't failed. We wouldn't be forgotten. That was all I could have hoped for.

* * *

Astra POV

I felt like a million bucks. My stomach was still queasy and I wobbled when I walked, but I could drink without throwing up. I'd never take that for granted again. I sat back down in my nest. No need to rush things.

After the cannon went off, there were only eight Tributes left. I never thought I'd make it to the final eight. I wondered what my parents said about me in their interview.

_Wow, they were on TV! Oh my goodness, Astra, you're on TV 24 hours a day, dummy._

I bent down to pick up my water, and something thumped over my head. I looked up and saw a knife buried in the roots of the tree. I whipped my head around. Venus was about to throw again. I jumped up and splashed clumsily away from her. She followed steadily after me and drew out a third knife. I fell backwards and landed on my bottom in water a foot deep.

My parents flashed before my eyes.

_I can't die. I have book to read._

I threw my arms in front of my face.

"Why? I'm just a girl," I asked Venus. I could see her face between my arms. She wasn't angry or gleeful. She looked like it was all she knew, and I pitied her.

She threw the knife.

* * *

Cornflower POV

I watched Jean grow still just as Shale had. I didn't cry, but I felt such a meaningless loss of something I knew I could never recover. I raised my pinched thumb and forefinger to my head in the tradition District 10 salute. Jean deserved as much. I hadn't prepared for them to die. I thought surely this year it would all turn out to be a prank, and the contestants would come home after they "died". It wasn't a prank, but they were coming home. I hoped Bree had eaten all the cookies she could stomach.

I already had pictures of Bree and Jean I carried with me. I'd made Jean a promise, and I was going to keep it. I took Fluvius with me and ventured out into the Capitol to find what I needed. It was terrible and crowded. Pink was in, and that just made it worse, but I needed to do this. We brought back a photo album. I printed each one of the Tribute's official photos and laid them in the book. I drew a haystack underneath Jean and Bree's photos. I'd have to get some more for years past, and next year, I'd probably draw two more haystacks.

* * *

District 10 POV

We knew how Bree would be coming home. Jean had a chance, but we didn't dare hope for two Victors in a row. Those of us who knew Jean knew how much he'd changed in the Games, and we respected him. Bree's parents couldn't bring themselves to eat the extra food they had since Bree left. They sat around a quiet table with one too many chairs. We were just glad she died quickly.

Life went on. The sun rose and the hay yellowed. We'd brought one home. That was more than some could say.

* * *

**I went ahead and included the 10 obituaries, since this chapter was short. Only a few left. Soon, we'll have our Victor**

**8th place: Jean**

**Jean had quite the arc. He started out as a cocky jerk, but once he realized what happened, he knew things no child should know. He was conflicted about whether it was moral to fight and go home when it meant dooming someone else. It ended up being decided for him, but he didn't mind. Rest assured Cornflower _will _remember him. As always, she's my avatar, and one of my obsessions is remembering forgotten victims. You're reading from someone who has read 1800 pages of Russian history books because she thought people forgot the Gulag victims. Cornflower will probably look at that book every day. Thanks Seungripanda for a Tribute who had real flaws and overcame them, as well as one who will stay with Cornflower forever.**

**7th place: Astra**

**I felt like I didn't get a solid hold on the essence of Astra. She was a nice girl and it's tragic she died, of course. Honestly, the only reason she lived this long was that I kept forgetting to kill her. She proved she was better than the Careers with her simple question, and she proved that the best don't survive in war. Thanks xpoptarts for a Tribute who wasn't inexplicably excellent at things and was just a normal girl.**


	46. District 5 Epitaphs

Timber POV

I couldn't believe how many cannons had gone off. Every one was another Tribute I hadn't actually expected to outlive.

_What if it's just you and Sarla left? No, that won't happen. We couldn't be the last two. We're just little kids._

"Hey Sarla, if you get home, what's the first thing you're gonna do?" I asked.

"I'm going to change my clothes," she said.

"I'm going to give Raol a huge hug and tell him his baby will be rich," I said.

"I'm going to wear dry socks," she said.

"I'm going to eat everything," I said.

"I'm going to sleep in a real bed," she said.

"I'm going to buy a ton of candy and throw it to all the kids in the District," I said.

"I'm going to refill our water," she said.

Sarla jumped out of the tree and started pouring filtered water into one of our empty tins. The trees were silent and serene. There wasn't a frog to be heard.

There was a huge splash. A gray blur hit Sarla, and red sprayed everywhere. She screamed as it pulled her into the water.

"Sarla!" I yelled. I grabbed my hatchet and jumped from the branch right on top of the thing. I whacked at its head over and over, hoping I wouldn't hit Sarla. She wailed horribly and tried to pry its jaws open. It pulled us both up to our knees in water, then rolled. I tumbled off it and squirmed free from underneath it. Sarla fell back against the tree and lay in a daze.

The thing turned in the water and opened its mouth to bite me in half. I swung my hatchet just as its jaws closed. Its teeth burst into my ribcage as my hatchet burst into its eye. It shook me like a doll and I felt my flesh ripping. My mouth filled with blood.

"_Leave her alone!" _I shouted through the blood. I brought the hatchet down full force right between its eyes. It jerked, and its jaws loosened. It fell onto me limply.

I shoved its jaws off me and crawled toward Sarla.

"Are you all right?" I asked. Blood dribbled down my chin.

Sarla was silent. Her skin was pale and she was shaking. I took her hand. It was cold.

"It's okay. It's dead," I said. I looked at her arm. It was slick with blood and her shoulder was a bone with scraps of flesh.

"I love you, Raol. It's okay. I love you," I said. "Sarla?"

She looked at me.

"Timber," she said. She turned and looked into the distance. She smiled.

"Daniel," she said. I waited for Raol.

Two cannons sounded.

* * *

Soleil POV

I told her she wasn't dead yet. I knew there was always hope. There's always the chance that you'll come out lucky, like me or Cornflower. But I was waiting for the end. The odds were never in her favor. I was only thankful her brother died first. I hoped they were together again. They deserved that much.

* * *

District 5 POV

We took our turns paying respect to the Mondins. We brought them dinners and took care of chores. We took over their shifts so they could stay home. Sarla was a darling. She was a beautiful child who would never be replaced. Her brother was the kind of man we were all proud to have known. She never would have killed to win the Games. He would have killed to save her, but then he wouldn't be the brother she knew. It was a testament to the horror of the Games that this was one of the better ways it could have ended.

* * *

**Almost there! That's a rather cheery note after... this, though.**

**6th place: Sarla (she died a few minutes before Aspen, due to massive shock and blood loss)**

**I loved Sarla. If I could have made her win, I would have. But I try to keep things realistic, and I should have killed her before now. I just couldn't bear it. Sarla was truly too good for these Games. She was just a girl. She should have been at home jumping rope. Such are the Games. Thanks, Kkfanatic. I can't think of a Tribute that more shows what the Games does to childhood.**

**5th place: Timber**

**Timber was the man. He went out fighting. He could have gotten away from the mutt, but he wasn't leaving Sarla. He actually killed it, too. The crocodile mutt is no more. Timber was much too nice and young to win, but he sure lasted a long time. Like Sarla, I should have killed him earlier, probably during the first Career hunt, but... Timber. I'm glad he made a friend. It would have crushed him to win without her. Rest assured they are eating ice cream in Heaven. Thanks Seungripanda for a Tribute who went into the Games and didn't change one bit.**

**I noticed I have four girls left. I didn't set out to do that- I tried to keep it even. I am at heart a little sexist, and I always want girls to beat boys, but I didn't have four left by plan. Only the Victor was planned, and even that changed a few times.**


	47. Undisclosed Epitaphs

**I know you're all dying to see Peppermint and Venus duke it out, so I... didn't write about that this chapter. Hah hah.**

* * *

Ever POV

Five tributes left. Five children waiting to die. I had what it took to win, but did I have what it took to kill? I didn't want to hurt anyone. I didn't want to kill Celestial or Heidi. Celestial just wanted to go home and pet things, and Heidi never hurt anyone. I didn't think I'd have to worry about hurting Peppermint, and the same went for Venus.

How did they do it? I was lucky. I threw knives for fun- something I'd never do again. I was a quick runner without even practicing. This should be easy for me. Celestial had probably never picked up a weapon in her life outside of fishing rods. They were lambs to the slaughter.

_It's not fair. It's not fair for Venus to win. She wasn't even supposed to get training. She's a cheater._

Chances were she'd be the last Tribute standing with me if I was the second. I'd have to fight her eventually. Maybe if we met up now, I could take her out so the others had a chance, or at least give her something to remember me by. Except maybe Peppermint, none of the others had any chance of killing her. I was swift and ready with a knife. Maybe the odds were in my favor.

_I'll make you earn it, girl._

I climbed high into a tree and laid my knife in my lap. I picked some hard seeds off the tree and tossed one into the water. I waited a few minutes, then shook the branch I was sitting on. I kept a careful lookout for any reaction.

The sun crossed the sky and dipped low. Venus must have been out of the area. I kept up my intermittent noise.

I sensed something, and I threw myself flat on my branch. A knife thudded into the wood above my head.

_Thanks for the knife, _I thought. I grabbed it without raising my head and peeked around my branch. Venus was standing near the foot of my tree, aiming another knife.

"Think you got this in the bag, don't you?" I said. "Go ahead. Throw some more knives. I could use some extra."

She circled around my tree, looking for a better angle. I whipped a knife at her as she went. She dodged, and it cut a gash into her side.

"Thanks for the knife," she taunted. She ignored the blood and started climbing the tree.

"I didn't know you were smart enough to climb," I called down, hoping to get her mad enough to make a mistake. She was breathing heavily when she stopped to throw again. I scooted backward on my branch, and the knife bounced off my ankle. I hissed in pain and was about to grab it when she threw another. I rolled off my branch and landed on a lower one. Before Venus could throw again, I raised my spear and threw it right at her face. The hooks sank into her cheeks and ripped her skin. She yelped and yanked it out, which only tore her open more. I scrambled for the knife she threw, but she threw first. Her knife flew into my chest, and I tipped over backwards onto the ground. She jumped down after me. I pulled out the knife and threw it at her just as she hit the ground. It hit her chest and was too weak to penetrate.

She stood over me and prepared another knife. Time for a parting shot. I looked at her bloody cheek.

"Smile, beautiful."

* * *

Celestial POV

I reached up and tugged the parachute out of the air. A cannon sounded just as I grabbed its top.

_Well that's cheerful, _I thought. The critters crowded around as I opened the box. It seemed oddly warm.

I clapped my hands like a little girl when I saw what was inside. It was a gorgeous, steaming cooked fish. The critters chirped.

"Hold on a minute. _This _is for you," I said. I took out one of three jars of honey and squirted some on the critters. They tumbled around licking it off each other.

Next I took out a stiff vest. _Hope it's knife-proof, _I thought as I put it on. Then came a pipe filled with three arrows. I wasn't about to touch them, so I carefully laid the pipe back in the box until I needed it. Last of all was an odd hook and rope thing that looked like it must be for tree climbing.

_Four left, _I thought as I tried to master the tree climber. _I suppose Venus will win. At least I got to play with the critters. _

The ropes tangled and I plopped into the water.

_Ick, water! It's all muddy and gross and now I'm soaked, _I thought. A few of the critters wrestling on the branch fell into the water and swam around playfully.

"I'm not convinced," I said to them. They dove under and darted about in the water.

"Maybe that does look a little fun," I said. I swam out until the water was waist deep and spun a few circles. The critters darted around me like I was a slowpoke.

"Slowpoke, am I? Better watch out. Here I come!"

* * *

Heidi POV

I watched the sky and waited to see whose cannon had gone off earlier. I was wearing my night glasses, and when the Anthem started playing and the picture popped up, it was tinted green. I took off the glasses. It was Ever.

_I thought she had a chance, _I thought. And she had. Venus must have killed her. Nobody else would. Maybe Peppermint, but she was strong, not mean. This was Venus' game to lose. I put my glasses back on.

A green parachute appeared in front of me. I grabbed a string and hauled it in. It was filled with little pots full of different color liquid.

_Oh, it must be for camouflage, _I thought. I'd have to wait until morning, though. Now everything was black and gray.

As I bedded down, I wondered if tomorrow would be the last day of the Games. I didn't know if I should hope for that.

* * *

Sequoia POV

Ever could have done it. She'd faced the facts and fought the fight. She hadn't won, but she'd put a dent in the great Venus. She might have opened the way for one of the gentler Tributes. It happened sometimes. I hacked my opponents to pieces, but every once in a while a mouse won. I hoped that would be the case. I knew Timber didn't have a prayer. I should have told him about ice cream earlier.

* * *

District 7 POV

Two more lives cut short. We'd mourned Timber before he got on the train. We had high hopes for Ever, but we knew not to hope too much. Dead or not, Timber was a hero. He stuck with his ally to the end. He knew there are things more important than the Games. Ever went out fighting. She would have been a woman to reckon with if not for the Games. So it went.

* * *

**5th place: Ever**

**I never planned for Ever to win, even though she was very capable. She was the only one whose skills I thought were a little unrealistic, but she wasn't completely out there. Another year, she might have won. It just turned out this way. She was certainly a fighter, and she left Venus a little souvenir. Thanks mizbooklover9 for a little spitfire who died hard.**

**Ooooh, final five. We'll just see if Heidi is right about the Games.**

**Oops, I put fifth place twice. For one of those times, I was a filthy liar. I should really figure out which one...**


	48. Final Three

Heidi POV

I smeared paint all over myself, hoping it looked better than it felt. I ended up using an entire jar of brown and half the green and black paint, but it was safe to say I looked reasonably like a tree- maybe from a distance, anyway. I hoped I didn't get any closer than that. I sat back against the trunk and waited to win. The day dragged on.

_Wonder what Hattie and Jamie are up to. Maybe they went out to help in the field. They're the ladies of the house now. Except Mom, I suppose. Who's doing the cooking? I hope they have more money for food now that I'm not there. _The sun set. I saw little ribbons of purple and red through the trees.

A thin curl of smoke rose in the distance.

_Venus must have lit a fire, _I thought. _It couldn't be anyone else. They wouldn't want her to come looking. Maybe she caught a fish. _The plume grew wider.

_Wow, did she build a bonfire? Oh shoot. She's trying to smoke us out. _The plume was now a spreading wall of smoke. Tongues of orange light flickered on the horizon.

_Shoot it's coming this way, _I thought. I scooped up my stuff and clambered out of the tree, still covered in paint. The fire was traveling much faster than it had any business to, especially with all this water. It seemed like it was targeting me.

I sprinted away from the advancing flame, thrashing through deep water and leaping over low-hanging branches. I heard frogs crying out and birds rushed from all around me into the air. The air grew acrid, and I panted for breath with a scorched throat.

_Where do I go? _Away from the fire! _Fire needs oxygen, right? I should find a clearing. Trees give off oxygen._

I stopped suddenly when I saw a bright glow ahead of me.

_How did the fire get ahead of me? _I thought. The smoke stung my eyes and burned in my lungs. I put on my glasses and turned to the side. I heard wood crackling and splitting behind me. It was an inferno back there.

_Are there going to be any trees left? _No… _there aren't. The entire Arena will be barren and open. The Gamemakers are tired of us hiding. They want to see a fight._

I saw the fire curving around ahead of me and turned back. There was fire that way too. I could barely breathe through the smoke.

_You have to stay low. Smoke rises, _I thought. I crouched low as I ran. That helped with the smoke, but not the steadily rising heat. My skin prickled and my face burned.

_That's not going to be enough. _I frantically climbed the nearest tree to find the best path. A tree nearby sizzled and fell so close its branches caught in the branches of the tree I was climbing. I reached the canopy and looked around. Everywhere I could see, there was fire. It was a solid ring of flame in every direction.

_How am I going to get out of this one? What can I do?_

"Jamie, Hattie, Mom, Dad… I love you."

* * *

Peppermint POV

I dashed through the Arena, spear in hand. _It would be a lot faster if it wasn't for all this stupid _water!

I had to hand it to Venus. A fire would force us all together. She knew where it started, so she could pick a good place and wait. We'd come right to her.

I jumped over a low branch and smacked right into another Tribute. I yanked my spear back and snarled.

"Agh!" a very quiet and decidedly not Venus-y voice wailed. I shoved the form away and leapt to my feet.

"Celestial? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Running from the fire! What does it look like?" she demanded. "Better not try anything. I have friends."

I saw she was indicating a horde of furry wide-tailed rats.

"I don't have time for that. Let's get away from the fire and kill each other later," I said. Celestial got to her feet and sprinted behind me. We ended up back at the Cornucopia. We could see the fire burning in the distance, but it didn't seem to advance further.

Celestial and I sat on the ground huffing.

"Are we going to kill each other now?" she asked.

"I don't really want to kill anyone, except _Venus,_" I said.

"Me neither, but if I had to kill someone, it would be her," she said.

"Hey, you watch out. She killed Apollo. I got a debt to pay," I said.

"I can work with that." A cannon went off.

"Think that was her?" Celestial asked.

"I hope not," I muttered.

"Want some help?" she asked.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked. She held up a jar of honey.

"What on Earth does that mean?"

* * *

District 9 POV

We had nothing to say about Miller. Maybe now the bakery could keep a cake in stock more than five minutes. Heidi was a different story. We didn't know her all that well, since she worked at her house a lot. We knew she loved her sisters and worked hard for her family. We knew we saw Hattie and Jamie holding hands together over untouched lunchboxes at school. We knew we'd all miss her.

* * *

**Fourth place: Heidi**

**Guess that answers your question, lily. Sorry about that. Heidi did pretty well for herself. She could have died in the Bloodbath, but she proved remarkably resourceful. I'll ease all your fears and let you know she died of smoke inhalation, not burning. Her body didn't get burned until after she was dead, so at least it wasn't as painful as that. Heidi defied pigeonholing, and that made her more difficult and rewarding to write. District 9 won't be the same. Thanks Hollyhobbit for a Tribute that thought on her feet but retained her normalcy.**

**User who wrote a review reading simply "R", thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was inspirational, eloquent, uplifting, and inspiring. I am forever grateful.**


	49. Peppermint vs Venus

**This time for real. I'm not messing with you. I hope it's as epic as you were all expecting.**

Venus POV

_Peppermint._

I stormed over scorched trees and ashy remains. I was covered in soot and wisps of charcoal.

_That was ballsy. You set fire to the entire forest? You could have just called. I'm as ready as you are to end this._

I'd heard one cannon. Whoever it was, it wasn't me. Peppermint's plan backfired. I wonder who she burned.

Not only did Peppermint inadvertently get another Tribute killed, but she changed the entire Arena in my favor. I could see the tips of the highest trees through the ruined mess. No one could hide from me now.

I didn't even bother to stalk anymore. She couldn't sneak up on me now. Now I could hunt. I stomped through the water and itched for movement I could kill.

I saw the Cornucopia in the distance. A girl was inside, surrounded by a bunch of furry things.

"You guys scared? Me, too. Don't worry, the fire's gone," Celestial said. One of the things saw me and hissed. Celestial whipped around and threw herself to the side as my knife came sailing toward her.

"No," she pleaded. I threw another knife. It stuck into her chest, but no blood came out. She was wearing a vest.

"Please, leave me alone," she said. She threw up her arm and caught the blade I aimed at her head in her forearm. That one drew blood.

I only had one knife left. I pulled my arm back and prepared to throw.

"Wait. Can I just say one thing?" she asked.

I paused. Nothing she could say would stop me. Let her talk.

"Hope you like honey," she said. Her other arm arced in front of me and drenched me with sticky glop. She tucked and rolled just as I threw my last knife. I couldn't see where it landed before a swarm of furry things leapt onto me and started chewing up my skin. I screamed and battered at them with both hands. They jumped back on as soon as I threw them off. Their claws and fangs ripped at any part of me touched by honey. I kicked one savagely. It screeched and tumbled away. The things shredded my shirt and licked the last of the honey off me. They dispersed and scampered away, hissing and snarling at me.

I hauled myself to my feet, streaming blood from dozens of shallow cuts. Celestial was lying on the ground, weakly stirring. I limped toward her and picked up a fallen knife.

"Hey, Venus, watch your back," a voice came from behind me. I whipped around and raised my knife. Peppermint smashed into me, knocking me to the ground. Her pale skin was streaked with soot. She was too close for me to throw my knife, so I slashed her cheek with it. She stabbed my arm with her spear. My hand fell open limply. I tried to pick up the knife with my other hand, but she knocked it away with her spear.

"Oh wait, you don't have anyone to watch your back. You don't have someone like Apollo. Sucks, doesn't it?" she asked. I brought my knee up into her stomach. She coughed, and I shoved her off me with all my strength. She fell back a step, and I picked up my knife. She charged me again just as I threw, and she hit my arm as the knife left it. It buried itself in her leg. She slammed the butt of her spear into the small of my back. Something burst inside me, and the world flashed white. I gasped and fell back on the ground.

Peppermint reared up and brought her spear crashing into my chest. I felt bones cracking and something split like a water balloon.

"This is for my brother," she spat. She pressed her entire weight onto her spear and watched me twitch lightly.

* * *

Peppermint POV

I stared down at my brother's murderer, watching the life drain from her like I watched it drain from my brother. For the first time, I saw Venus' face shift. Her eyes widened slightly, and her skin grew pale. She looked… helpless. She looked like a teenage girl who was able to kill. What would she have been if not for the Games? What if she hadn't been taught to kill.

Her eyes glittered faintly, and her mouth opened. A trickle of blood flowed out.

"I'm sorry," she said. Her eyes closed, and her face relaxed. She looked more peaceful than I'd ever seen her. A cannon sounded.

_Good riddance, butcher, _I thought. Celestial moaned.

_Oh no, Celestial! _I thought. I ran to her side. She was clutching at a knife lodged just underneath her chin. Blood flowed freely down her chest.

"Did it work?" she whispered.

"Didn't you hear the cannon? Venus is gone," I said.

Celestial smiled. "Looks like you're the Victor."

I took her hand and crouched beside her.

"Peppermint?" she asked.

"Yes?" I said.

"Will there be otters?" she asked. I didn't hesitate.

"Yes. There will be otters. Hold on a minute." I ran to the closest of the critters, who were sniffing Venus for traces of honey, and picked it up. It chirped, but didn't fight as I carried it to Celestial.

"Here. He'll show you the way," I said. I laid it on her chest. She smiled again and petted it weakly. Her arm fell limp draped over its head.

A final cannon sounded. I stood between the two bodies and faced the sky. The Anthem played, and a sickly happy voice boomed.

"_Presenting the winner of the twenty-fourth Hunger Games, Peppermint Wilson!"_

* * *

**There you have it, readers! Was it what you expected? I can't tell you how tempting it was to make Venus win just to watch you all despair, but that would be evil. **

**3rd place: Venus**

**People sure hated Venus. I actually designed her as one of the better Careers in the Games. She wasn't sadistic or obsessed with glory. She was just a hunter. When I wrote her, I was inspired by the appearance of Shego from Kim Possible (which is why her mother is named Shego) and the personality of Tigress from Kung Fu Panda, just a villain. She had a little moment there at the end. I wanted to remind people that she was just a kid. She was a product of her environment. I knew a long time ago that I wanted to tributes to team up against her. In this case, the kill ended up being entirely Peppermint's. Celestial just helped catch her off guard. Looking at my notes, I had her penciled from the start as the third place Tribute. Thanks Seungripanda for a Tribute that wasn't as evil as she seemed.**

**2nd place: Celestial.**

**Originally, I wanted Celestial to win by weaponizing the mutts. I couldn't find a way to write that without it being super cheesy, so I settled for this. Celestial grew so much. Before the Games started, she was a very possible Bloodbath. She proved herself over and over. I knew I wanted her to help battle Venus at the end. I loved her, and I loved her otters. She's in that big otter pond in the sky now. Thanks Seungripanda for Celestial, probably my favorite Tribute and one of the sweetest.**

**1st place: Peppermint**

**I didn't like Peppermint at first. I found her too boisterous, but she was the one who most realistically would have won, except perhaps Venus. I loved how she and Apollo acted like real siblings, squabbling and sticking with each other to the end. After Venus killed Apollo, it was pretty clear you guys would have my head if anyone else won, and you were right. I didn't plan for Peppermint to win. It was either Celestial or Hailey. Peppermint had other ideas.**

**Final obituaries in the next chapter, then a few more about the aftermath of the Games.**

**One final note: The Gamemakers set the fire. It wasn't Venus... this time. Poor Heidi happened to be in the middle. They weren't gunning for her, it just happened.**


	50. Note

**Just a little note before the obituaries and after-Games stuff:**

**I enjoyed this so much and found it so therapeutic I decided to write the 25th Games and maybe just keep on going until I hit 73! Each Victor can figure into the later stories, so Peppermint shall return! If you want to send Tributes for the 25th Games you can go ahead, but it will take a few days to get it rolling. Here are some suggestions:**

**This was the year Tributes were voted on, of course, so I'm hoping for a bunch of deserving Tributes. We're talking cons, brats, outcasts, or anyone else people would want to pretty much kill. This story will probably be quicker and more brutal than the 24th Games, since only a handful of Tributes were ready to kill in this Games. Don't hesitate to send in an utter scumbag. There really shouldn't be many likeable Tributes this year. Just a few unfortunate anomalies.**

**Thanks everyone for reviewing so much! I really don't get out... at all. I've talked to you all more than anyone except my parents and sisters since I started writing. You guys all love Cornflower, and that means you like me. You're the only ones who don't tell "Cornflower" it's her fault for having mental illness, or that "she's" using it as a crutch or faking it. Get what I mean?**


	51. Final Interview

Jonah POV

I don't think Dane ever thought he'd win. I don't think he ever wanted to. I didn't notice his feeling for Celestial until the last minute. At least he died happy. He wouldn't have been happy if he'd won. Celestial was a sweet girl. Dane had good taste. If she hadn't been in the Games, he might have won, and things would be different.

* * *

District 4 POV

Dane was hard to categorize. We valued the dedication our Careers had, but we weren't as enamored as One and Two. We thought the other Careers would turn on him in days. Turned out he was smarter than that. Celestial's father gave away all her otters to nice families except one. He fed Ollie piles of sea urchins. Whenever we were fishing and caught one, we knew exactly what to do with it.

* * *

Crag POV

I hadn't mentored Venus myself, but I knew she had a better chance that Thompson. Thompson was a bully. Venus was a killer. Another year, she would have won. This happened sometimes. Next year we'd take it for sure.

* * *

District 2 POV

Thompson was just another face in the crowd of fallen Careers. We honored his courage and moved on. None of us expected Venus to lose. She'd fought well, though. Tributes didn't always have to win to do us proud. We expected dedication and skill, and Venus had that.

* * *

Peppermint POV

I laid down my spear and watched the hovercraft descend.

_It's over. She's dead, _I thought. _I got your back, Apollo. Twins forever._

A ladder descended, and a pair of Peacekeepers helped me into the hovercraft. As far as Victors went, I was in pretty decent shape, so they just helped me onto a stretcher and fussed with my leg. By the time the numbness from adrenaline wore off, numbness from drugs replaced it. The rest of the trip passed in a haze. I brushed my hand against my cheek and felt the jagged tear from Venus' blade. It was a little something to remember Apollo by.

I was a model patient for the next few days- not because I cared about what anyone thought, but if they wanted me to lie in a comfy bed and eat jelly and warm soup, I could make that happen. I asked if I could see my family, but I wasn't allowed visitors until I was released. After I threw a butter knife at one of the doctors, they reconsidered. The next day the door opened, and Orchard walked in.

"You lived," she said.

"I didn't _win?_" I asked.

"Do you think you did?" she asked.

I looked back. I'd watched children die, killed one myself, sat by my twin brother as he slipped away, killed his killer, and outlived twenty-three other kids. Maybe I should have felt guilty or empty. I didn't. I wasn't going to let them ruin my life.

"I avenged Apollo and I lived. I won," I declared.

Orchard smiled. "That's more than most of us can say. Good job. I'm glad you weren't in my Games."

I got out of bed and stood tall.

"Guess I should go address my adoring fans," I said. Orchard followed me as I brushed aside the stragglers and reported to my stylists.

"Wonderful! Not a mark on you!" Kiwi exclaimed.

"Not a mark on me? Whaddya mean?" I demanded. I snatched up a mirror and looked at my face.

"_Who took my scar?!" _I bellowed.

"Oh, you wouldn't want that nasty thing. The doctors cleaned it up with the rest of you," Kiwi said.

I scowled through the rest of my beautification, to the stylists' annoyance. They finally gave up and dressed me in a sleek red dress with white boots. Bright red lipstick and a dusting of blush finished my face.

"Ready for your interview?" Kiwi asked.

"Ready for it to be over," I said. I shamelessly stomped onto the stage and plopped myself across from Seutonius.

"It's great to see you, Peppermint. Tell me, when did you know you were going to win the Hunger Games?" Seutonius asked.

"I only knew I was going to kill Venus. She happened to be the last Tribute," I said.

"Oh yes, that was quite a fight. We were on the edge of our seats. Shall we start the replay?" Seutonius asked.

I watched as Apollo and I battled our way through the Bloodbath as Tributes were dying all around us. I saw Venus hunting down Tributes and a strange crocodile monster I'd never seen a sign of. I saw Timber and Sarla laughing and eating honey. My face darkened as I watched Apollo die again, but I told myself it was only a few minutes until the happy ending. I watched the life seep from Venus and wished she was alive so I could kill her again.

"That was truly a great show. You've certainly earned your crown," Seutonius said. The Anthem started, and President Galba swept onto the stage. She held a sturdy yellow circlet with a raised arch containing two rubies standing side by side. My eyes went from one to the other.

_You and me forever, Apollo. _

"Congratulations, Victor. The odds are ever in your favor," President Galba said. She placed the on my head. The crowd exploded into praise, and President Galba addressed them.

"So ends the twenty-fourth Hunger Games. Until next year, may the odds be ever in your favor."

* * *

**Just one more chapter to wrap things up, I think. I'll start preparing the next story. And in case you didn't guess, Peppermint's outfit was based on... a peppermint.**


	52. Epilogue

I stood on the observation floor, looking down at the Capitol. Tomorrow the Parade would start. I didn't imagine I'd have much trouble, except maybe in Two. It would be over soon, and I could go back home. Except I couldn't, really. Apollo wouldn't be there, no matter how much I killed Venus. I wouldn't live in my old house. I didn't know how I was going to face my parents when I came home without my brother. I didn't know if they'd ever look at me without pain. I wondered what the people would think of me. Orchard didn't socialize much. We knew she only did what she had to, but she just intimidated us. We saw how easily she could kill people, and even though we knew she never would, we knew she could.

"Hey," a voice said from behind me. I turned to see Orchard.

"Mind some company?" she asked. "I brought a few friends."

"I don't mind. I'm not used to being alone," I said. After I said so, a stream of people began to trickle into the room. I recognized Azure and Drone, as well as other mentors I didn't know.

"We wanted to give you a real welcome. You're one of us now," Orchard said. The Mentors gathered around me and gave the salutes of each of their respective Districts. It felt like a mass blessing. It was a haunting ceremony, completely unlike the postures and pomposity of Capitol trash. I tried to speak, but my throat swelled shut. Acee brushed my arm.

"It's all right. We know it's hard. It'll always be hard, but you're strong. You'll get through it. We'll be with you."

"Do you guys ever wish someone else won?" I asked quietly.

"Some of us fought. Some of us just lived. In the end, none of us can control who wins. We have to accept it and keep living," Toby said.

"You earned this. I still haven't forgiving you for killing my Tribute, but you would have made a fine Career," Crag said with a small smile.

"Thanks, guys," I said. "I hope I make as great a Mentor as you," I said to Orchard. She smiled, and we all watched the city grow quieter as the night progressed.

"I guess I should get to bed. I have a big day tomorrow," I said.

"It's getting late, getting late, late, late," Cornflower said. She shook her head. Nobody batted an eye.

I came to the floor feeling like I'd never be the same, and it was true in a way. I was a Victor now. That wouldn't change. But I was still Peppermint. I wasn't going to mope around or drown myself in alcohol. I was going to live the same way I always did and be the same me. The Capitol thought it could break me. I burned through their Games and I was still unscathed. I lost a brother, and that would never get better, but I found I'd gained twenty-three more brothers and sisters, and we all had each other's backs.

* * *

**Here's the last chapter of this Games. I wanted to show how they're all linked and Victors aren't separated by District lines. I'm already gathering Tributes for the 25th Games, so keep an eye out. Thanks for playing!**

**In case you didn't read Tyger, Tyger, Cornflower has mad OCD and sometimes she repeats words. It gets worse at night. See you soon!**

**The 25th Games are up under Your Vote Matters: the 25th Hunger Games. You can see what slots are open and some tips.**


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